New Study Shows Latinos are Still the Largest Uninsured Population in the U.S.

Share On Social!

Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, the number of uninsured people in the United States has declined by an estimated 20 million. The percentage of people without health insurance has also fallen to an historic low. Despite these monumental gains, there are still 24 million people lacking health insurance. The largest number of these individuals are still Latinos.

Using data from the Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Art Tracking Survey to examine the characteristics of the remaining uninsured adults to determine the reasons they for not enrolling in the marketplace plans or Medicaid. Prior to the ACA, people most at risk of being uninsured were those that didn’t have coverage through their place of employment. Latinos and other racial and ethnic minorities comprised a large number of this group.

In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved.

The ACA’s insurance expansions have had a dramatic effect on these groups of adults, especially Latinos where the number of uninsured fell from 36% to 29%. However, as the number has declined, there have been notable shifts. Latinos, despite lowering rates, are becoming the larger share of the uninsured population overall. The percentages of Latinos among the overall population rose from 29% in 2013 to 40% in 2016. Conversely, the share of whites has declined, falling from 50% in 2013 to 41% in 2016.

Several factors, many of which emerged in the survey, are likely contributing to the shifts in the makeup of the uninsured and higher rates of uninsurance among some groups. These factors include:

• the ACA’s exclusion of undocumented immigrants from the coverage expansions
• the lack of Medicaid expansion in 19 states
• less awareness of the marketplaces in some demographic groups
• concerns about plan affordability and subsidy eligibility
• difficulty selecting plans during the enrollment process
• lack of assistance in selecting plans

Read more about this story here.

Login and share this resource with others to help make a difference for the next generation.

Read stories similar to this one:

• New facts about Latinos and Education #SaludAmerica #HealthEquity http://salud.to/2aH6CkS @SaludToday
• Millions would gain coverage through expanded Medicaid #SaludAmerica #HealthEquity http://salud.to/2aASreR @SaludToday