New Report Shows Latinos Making Gains in Health Coverage

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A new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) found that the rate of uninsured Latinos under the age of 65 decreased greatly from 2010 to 2015. Overall, numbers for Americans under the age of 65 decreased from 18% to 10%.

The new report also shows that more and more Latinos now have a “usual” place to go for medical care. Latinos showed the most gain in this area climbing from 77% in 2010 to 83% as of the first half of 2015.

As the cost of healthcare became more affordable, thanks to initiatives such as the Health Insurance Marketplace for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the expanded Medicaid coverage that became available in more than half of the States, fewer people overall reported having difficulties paying their medical bills. Individuals age 18-64 living below the poverty line, including racial and ethnic minorities, saw the greatest benefit.

“These new data demonstrate that the Affordable Care Act is achieving its goal of helping millions of Americans gain health care coverage, with the most substantial progress shown among young adults and the poor,” said AHRQ Deputy Director Dr. Sharon B. Arnold.

Disparities related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status continue to have a significant impact on the care that many receive. The quality of care that Latinos receive was worse than about 40% of the report’s measures.

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