Too Many Children Lack Health Insurance

About 11% of U.S. children lack health insurance as documented in a recent report.

The report measured the progress of each state since 2000 in 10 areas -- infant mortality rates, teenage birth and mortality rates, child mortality rates, rates of low-birthweight infants, and child poverty rates. In addition, the report ranked states in each area, as well as overall.

The report found that Minnesota, New Hampshire and Connecticut ranked the highest overall and that Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi ranked the lowest

According to the report, the national infant mortality rate decreased to 6.8 per 1,000 live births in 2004 from 6.9 per 1,000 in 2000.

The report also found that the national birth rate among teens ages 15 to 19 decreased to 41 per 1,000 in 2004 from 48 per 1,000 in 2000 and that the mortality rate among teens ages 15 to 19 decreased to 66 per 100,000 in 2004 from 67 per 100,000 in 2000.