Rate of Latino Uninsured Expected to Decline during Open Enrollment

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The next Open Enrollment cycle for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is about to get under way and millions of Americans are expected to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase healthcare coverage through the Marketplace. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell anticipates 13.8 million people will be signing up for coverage before the end of Open Enrollment.

“We’re confident that millions of Americans will choose to enroll when they learn that quality, affordable health insurance is within reach,” Burwell said in a press release. “We believe 13.8 million sign-ups during the upcoming Open Enrollment will help keep driving down the national uninsured rate, which is already the lowest in our nation’s history.”

Since its inception, the ACA has led to 20 million Americans gaining healthcare coverage for the first time ever. Latinos have been the racial or ethnic group that have benefited the most from the ACA.

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In 2014, an estimated 8 in 10 uninsured Latinos qualified for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) or for other low-cost health plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Prior to the upcoming Open Enrollment period, 4.2 million Latinos (ages 18-64) gained health insurance coverage. This tremendous gain helped lower the uninsured rate among Latinos by 7.7%.

In the first quarter of 2016, the uninsured rate overall in the U.S. reached a record low of 8.6% of Americans. In a brief issued by HHS, they outline their expected outcomes for the coming Open Enrollment period. The brief outlines how the gains are expected to continue as individuals continue enrolling through the Marketplace and more states participate in Medicaid expansion. Phase 4 of Open Enrollment begins on November 1, 2016 and runs through January 31, 2017.

Read the brief here.

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