Fewer Latinos Signed Up Online for Health Insurance than Whites, Blacks

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Only 1 in 10 who enrolled for healthcare coverage via HealthCare.gov last year were Latino, a lower rate than their black and white peers, according to new federal data.

In recent years, Latinos have made health coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The percentage of Latinos with no health care coverage dropped from 26.2% to 15.1% from 2013 to 2016 under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); but it remains much higher than the percent drop among uninsured non-Latino whites from 14.1% to 6.6% in that same span, according to a Salud America! research review.

The new data demonstrates ongoing disparities.

Of HealthCare.gov users who provided racial/ethnic data during the last enrollment period from Nov. 1, 2016 to Jan. 1 2017, 76% were white, 12% black, 10% Asian, and 10% Latino, according to the data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Office of Minority Health.

Among the Latinos, most were Mexican (44%), “Other” (33.25%), Puerto Rican (8.11%), or from two or more ethnic subgroups (1.39%).

Spanish was also the second most frequently spoken language, behind English at 89.93%. The pattern was similar when choosing written language preferences.

The majority of Latino users who took part in Open Enrollment used the HealthCare.gov site and were from “racially and ethnically diverse” states including Texas and Florida.

The new data indicate a greater need to increase Latino access to HealthCare.gov.

“Data from four open enrollment periods demonstrate that in-person, in-language, and culturally competent consumer outreach, education and enrollment assistance is the most effective way to engage the Latino community, especially those new to our healthcare system,” said a release from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Learn more about what groups are doing to encourage Latino enrollment in health care here:

• Special Healthcare Enrollment Period for Hurricane Victims http://salud.to/2yIlt6f #SaludInsurance
• Finally, Some Good News for the Health Insurance of Latino Kids http://salud.to/2xidJe5 #SaludInsurance
• Study: Latinos Are Closing the Big Gap in Access to Healthcare http://salud.to/2gKgKts #SaludInsurance

In-person, in-language, and culturally competent consumer outreach, education and enrollment assistance is the most effective way to engage the Latino community.

Congressional Hispanic Congress
Statement via News Release