Floridians without Health Insurance

NIALA BOODHOO
The Miami Herald

Number of Floridians without health insurance on the rise, study finds

The fastest-growing industries in Florida are the ones least likely to offer its employees health care coverage, according to a new study released today by Florida International University's Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy.

Construction, retail and leisure and hospitality are all industries each with at least 300,000 workers without health insurance. In the construction industry, which has accounted for a significant proportion of the new jobs throughout Florida, more than 40 percent of workers are uninsured.

Low-wage, nonunion and workers in small business were least likely to have health care coverage.

In all, more than 18 percent of Florida's population does not have health insurance, more than 3 million people, according to the report, which was based on government data.

That's one of the highest rates of uninsured in the country - Florida ranks 46 out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.