Yakima County, WA

County

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2019 Population

249,697

0.149% 1-year growth

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2019 Median Age

0.61% 1-year increase

2019 Poverty Rate

17.4%

4.26% 1-year decrease

2019 Median Household Income

$51,637

3.54% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$175,900

4.89% 1-year growth

2019 Employed Population

106,018

1.18% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Yakima County, WA had a population of 250k people with a median age of 33 and a median household income of $51,637. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Yakima County, WA grew from 249,325 to 249,697, a 0.149% increase and its median household income grew from $49,871 to $51,637, a 3.54% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Yakima County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (43.2%), White (Hispanic) (34.1%), Other (Hispanic) (13.1%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (3.46%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.98%). 0% of the households in Yakima County, WA speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

86.9% of the residents in Yakima County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Yakima County, WA are Yakima Valley College (1,424 degrees awarded in 2020), Perry Technical Institute (457 degrees), and Heritage University (274 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Yakima County, WA was $175,900, and the homeownership rate was 62.7%. Most people in Yakima County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Yakima County, WA was 2 cars per household.

Yakima County, WA borders Benton County, WA, Grant County, WA, King County, WA, Kittitas County, WA, Klickitat County, WA, Lewis County, WA, Pierce County, WA, and Skamania County, WA.

United States Washington Yakima, WA

Diversity

Yakima County, WA is home to a population of 250k people, from which 86.9% are citizens. As of 2019, 18.7% of Yakima County, WA residents were born outside of the country (46.7k people).

In 2019, there were 1.27 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (108k people) in Yakima County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 85.1k White (Hispanic) and 32.7k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Yakima County, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
108k ± 171
White (Hispanic)
85.1k ± 2.59k
Other (Hispanic)
32.7k ± 2.39k

49.3%

Hispanic Population

123k people

49.3% of the people in Yakima County, WA are hispanic (123k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Yakima County, WA as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

18.7%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

46.7k people

18.1%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

45.2k people

As of 2019, 18.7% of Yakima County, WA residents (46.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Yakima County, WA was 18.1%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Yakima County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.3

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.7

In 2019, the median age of all people in Yakima County, WA was 33. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 29, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 42. But people in Yakima County, WA are getting getting older. In 2018, the average age of all Yakima County, WA residents was 33.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
247,214 ± 12,002 people
India
80,685 ± 6,936 people
China
72,521 ± 6,579 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 247,214 Washington residents, followed by India with 80,685 and China with 72,521.

Citizenship

86.9%

2019 Citizenship

86.9%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 86.9% of Yakima County, WA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Yakima County, WA was 86.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Yakima County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,231 ± 332
Gulf War (1990s)
1,338 ± 217
Gulf War (2001-)
1,295 ± 232

Yakima County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.16 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Washington. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Washington, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Washington. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

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Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Washington across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Economy

Median household income in Yakima County, WA is $51,637. In 2019, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Yakima County, WA was Census Tract 4 with a value of $78,549, followed by Census Tract 28.01 and Census Tract 28.02, with respective values of $75,183 and $73,801.

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $58,599. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.468, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Yakima County, WA employs 106k people. The largest industries in Yakima County, WA are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (17,423 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,107 people), and Retail Trade (10,924 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($67,969), Public Administration ($53,636), and Finance & Insurance ($44,139).

Wages

Median Household Income

$51,637

2019 value

± $1,030

3.54%

1 Year Growth

± 2.96%

Households in Yakima County, WA have a median annual income of $51,637, which is less than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $49,871 in 2018, which represents a 3.54% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Yakima County, WA compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

$79,606

Average Male Salary in Washington

± $1,492

$58,599

Average Female Salary in Washington

± $1,218

In 2019, full-time male employees in Washington made 1.36 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Washington by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Washington

Asian
$74,594 ± $3,333
White
$62,706 ± $1,032
Two or More Races
$50,542 ± $3,350

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Washington workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.19 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Washington.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Washington by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Yakima County, WA is from Washington.

0.468

2019 Wage GINI in Washington

0.469

2018 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2019, the income inequality in Washington was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.222% decline from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 4
Census Tract 28.01
Census Tract 28.02

In 2019, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Yakima County, WA was Census Tract 4 with a value of $78,549, followed by Census Tract 28.01 and Census Tract 28.02, with respective values of $75,183 and $73,801.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Yakima County, WA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

17.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Yakima County, WA (42.8k out of 246k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Males 6 - 11.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
30,552 ± 1,310
Hispanic
26,664 ± 1,297
Other
6,851 ± 748

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Yakima County, WA is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

106k

2019 Value

± 2,425

1.18%

1 Year growth

± 3.21%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Yakima County, WA grew at a rate of 1.18%, from 105k employees to 106k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Yakima County, WA, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (14,366 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,033 people), and Material Moving Occupations (8,596 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Yakima County, WA.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Yakima County, WA, by number of employees, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (14,366 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,033 people), and Material Moving Occupations (8,596 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Yakima County, WA has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (20.8 times higher than expected), Material Moving Occupations (2.18 times), and Healthcare Support Occupations (1.31 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Yakima County, WA, by median earnings, are Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($72,459), Legal Occupations ($70,605), and Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($65,100).

Industries

Employment by Industries

106k

2019 Value

± 2,425

1.18%

1 Year growth

± 3.21%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Yakima County, WA grew at a rate of 1.18%, from 105k employees to 106k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Yakima County, WA, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (17,423 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,107 people), and Retail Trade (10,924 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Yakima County, WA, though some of these residents may live in Yakima County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Yakima County, WA, by number of employees, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (17,423 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,107 people), and Retail Trade (10,924 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Yakima County, WA has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (13.9 times higher than expected), Wholesale Trade (1.66 times), and Transportation & Warehousing (1.51 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Yakima County, WA, by median earnings, are Utilities ($67,969), Public Administration ($53,636), and Finance & Insurance ($44,139).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Washington product (by dollars) was Transport equip. with $105B, followed by Misc. mfg. prods. ($46.1B) and Mixed freight ($35.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Washington products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Washington.

$500B

2020 Value in Washington

$980B

Projected 2050 Value in Washington

95.8% growth

In 2020, total outbound Washington trade was $500B. This is expected to increase 95.8% to $980B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Washington trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Most Common Trade Partners

Oregon
$34.9B
California
$26.9B
Hawaii
$23.3B

In 2020, the top outbound Washington domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Oregon with $34.9B, followed by California with $26.9B and Hawaii and $23.3B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Washington shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Yakima County, WA went to Donald J. Trump with 52.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (44.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.48%). The most partisan county was King County, WA with 75% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (52.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (44.9%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.48%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Yakima County, WA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of Washington.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Yakima County, WA

52.6% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Washington

King County, WA
75% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
San Juan County, WA
73.7% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Lincoln County, WA
73.2% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in Washington was King County, WA with 75% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

The following map shows the counties in Washington colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Patty Murray

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 1993

Maria Cantwell

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from Washington

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Washington have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Yakima County, WA awarded 2,343 degrees. The student population of Yakima County, WA is skewed towards women, with 2,449 male students and 4,099 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Yakima County, WA are Hispanic or Latino (1,262 and 54.1%), followed by White (798 and 34.2%), Two or More Races (99 and 4.25%), and Unknown (71 and 3.04%).

The largest universities in Yakima County, WA by number of degrees awarded are Yakima Valley College (1,424 and 60.8%), Perry Technical Institute (457 and 19.5%), and Heritage University (274 and 11.7%).

The most popular majors in Yakima County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (502 and 21.4%), Medical Office Assistant (279 and 11.9%), and Early Childhood Education & Teaching (153 and 6.53%).

The median tuition costs in Yakima County, WA are $18,192 for private four year colleges, and $4,230 and $4,691 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business
54 degree-majorss awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
502 degree-majorss awarded
Registered Nursing
55 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Yakima County, WA was General Business with 54 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Yakima County, WA according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Yakima Valley College
1,424 degrees awarded
Perry Technical Institute
457 degrees awarded
Heritage University
274 degrees awarded

$4,230

Median In-State Public

$18,192

Median Private

In 2020, the Yakima County, WA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Yakima Valley College with 1,424 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

901

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,442

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 901 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Yakima County, WA, which is 0.625 times less than the 1,442 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the institutions in Yakima County, WA by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
1,262 degrees awarded
White
798 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
99 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Yakima County, WA was Hispanic or Latino students. These 1,262 degrees mean that there were 1.58 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 798 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Yakima County, WA was $175,900 in 2019, which is 0.731 times smaller than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $167,700 to $175,900, a 4.89% increase. The homeownership rate in Yakima County, WA is 62.7%, which is lower than the national average of 64.1%. People in Yakima County, WA have an average commute time of 18.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Yakima County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$175,900

2019 Median

± $4,227

$167,700

2018 Median

± $2,764

In 2019, the median property value in Yakima County, WA grew to to $175,900 from the previous year's value of $167,700.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Yakima County, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Yakima County, WA the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$51,637

Median Household Income

± $1,030

83k

Number of Households

± 2,009

In 2019, the median household income of the 83k households in Yakima County, WA grew to $51,637 from the previous year's value of $49,871.

The following chart displays the households in Yakima County, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Yakima County, WA distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Yakima County, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

Rent vs Own

62.7%

2019 Homeownership

63.2%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 62.7% of the housing units in Yakima County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 63.2%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Yakima County, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

18.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Yakima County, WA have a shorter commute time (18.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 1.15% of the workforce in Yakima County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Yakima County, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (80.1%)
Carpooled (12.8%)
Worked At Home (3.47%)

In 2019, 80.1% of workers in Yakima County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.8%) and those who worked at home (3.47%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Yakima County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Yakima County, WA have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

86.9% of the population of Yakima County, WA has health coverage, with 33.2% on employee plans, 30.4% on Medicaid, 10.6% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 0.751% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Washington was $7,913 in 2014. This is a 4% increase from the previous year ($7,609).

Primary care physicians in Yakima County, WA see 1479 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.27% decrease from the previous year (1498 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1363 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 304 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Wahkiakum County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (14.8%). Additionally, Pend Oreille County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (41.6%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,479 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Yakima County, WA

Primary care physicians in Yakima County, WA see an average of 1,479 patients per year. This represents a 1.27% decrease from the previous year (1,498 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Yakima County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

$7,913

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Washington

$4,328

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,851

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$8,997

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Washington (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4%, from $7,609 to $7,913.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

13.1%

Uninsured

33.2%

Employer Coverage

30.4%

Medicaid

10.6%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

0.751%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Yakima County, WA declined by 2.91% from 13.5% to 13.1%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Yakima County, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.