The ranks of poor and uninsured Americans probably are increasing — with more than 38.8 million believed to be living in poverty.
Rebecca Blank, the Commerce Department’s undersecretary of economic affairs, spoke to The Associated Press in advance of next month’s closely watched release of 2008 census data. Blank said the numbers are likely to show a “statistically significant” increase in the poverty rate, to at least 12.7 percent. That would represent a jump of more than 1.5 million people from the previous year.
The number of uninsured is also expected to increase, due largely to rising unemployment and the erosion of private coverage paid for by employers and individuals.
The census figures, to be released Sept. 10, could have important ramifications as Congress returns from its August recess to debate health care reform. The Associated Press
