A new report indicated that about 86.7 million Americans, which equates to one out of three people under the age of 65 years old, were without health insurance at some point during 2007-2008.

The report, released by Families USA, is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and indicated that nearly three out of four of those without health coverage lacked insurance for at least six months and two-thirds were uninsured for nine months or more.

Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, called the large number of those without health insurance “worse than an epidemic.”

“At this point, almost everyone in the country has had a family member, neighbor, or friend who was uninsured, and that’s why meaningful health care reform can no longer be kept on the back burner,” Pollack said in a statement.

The U.S. government has estimated that about 45.5 million people lack health insurance, down from 47 million two years ago. Among those are an estimated 11 million who have access, but choose not to enroll in a plan.

The Families USA report came on the heels of a healthcare summit at the White House where President Barack Obama gathered various stakeholders, including insurance companies, to help reform the U.S. health care system and cover the more than 45 million Americans currently without any form of coverage.

Other key findings of the report indicate that four out of five (79.2%) of the uninsured were working families; 69.7% of the families included a full-time employee; and 9.5% included a part-time employee.

The report also found that more than half (52%) had incomes between $21,200 – the federal poverty level – and $42,400 and went without insurance at some point over the two years and more than a third (33.7%) earned between $42,400 and $63,600 over that same time frame.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) said the data in the report should convince anyone of the need for health care reform.

“We are not simply talking about numbers; tens of millions of Americans are faced with the fear and uncertainty of a lack of health care coverage,” he said.

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) added that the report “demonstrates how we have reached a point of crisis that requires real action” and with the healthcare summit and upcoming hearings on Capitol Hill on reform measures, “we have already begun to act.”

“We have real momentum with us right now,” Pallone said. “We must not squander this opportunity.”