News in brief - July 10, 2006

Uninsured figures show improvement - S.D. abortion ban to go to voters

Uninsured figures show improvement

More than 41 million people were uninsured at a specific time in 2005, the National Center for Health Statistics estimated in a recent study.

Based on interviews of nearly 100,000 people, the government agency projected that 41.2 million people in the United States had no health insurance at the time of the survey last year.

This figure represents a slight improvement over the 2004 report, when 42.1 million people were estimated to be uninsured when the study was conducted. The uninsured figure represents just over 14% of the population. Roughly 51 million people were uninsured at some point in 2005, while about 29 million lacked coverage for more than a year prior to the interviews, the center projected.

S.D. abortion ban to go to voters

Opponents of South Dakota's recently enacted abortion ban succeeded in their petition drive to prevent the law from taking effect in July. South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson in June certified the 16,728 signatures needed to put the measure to a vote in a binding statewide referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot.

"The people of South Dakota will now have the opportunity to express their strong opinion that this ban on nearly all abortions is far too extreme," said Sarah Stoesz, president of Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, which launched the effort. More than 38,000 signatures were collected, according to the group.

Intended to directly challenge Roe v. Wade, the statute would outlaw abortion in the state, unless it is necessary to save the pregnant woman's life. The measure, signed into law by Gov. Mike Rounds in March, does not include an exception for rape or incest, or to prevent serious injury to the pregnant woman's health.