A recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau showed the number of those covered by health insurance in the United States increased from 2009 to 2010.

The Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010 report found that during that year, more than 256 million Americans had health insurance, compared to nearly 225.5 million in 2009. Overall, the percentage change for Americans was marginal.

Close to 16 percent of consumers were covered by Medicaid, which was close to 2009's figures, the report noted. Slightly less than 10 percent of minors lacked in health insurance. This is 7.3 million people, overall. The uninsured rate for poverty-stricken children was 15.5 percent, and this figure was much higher than the overall rate for children - 9.8 percent.

The uninsured rates for Americans declined in 2010, the report added. For households earning less than $25,000, nearly 27 percent were without insurance. But when examining households with salaries of $75,000 or more, the uninsured rate crashes to 8 percent.

This information could mean good things for the health insurance industry, as more consumers may be going out of their way to ensure they are covered.