This data brief from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) provides the latest national estimates of the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on health insurance coverage among the U.S. population. According to the data brief, 17.6 million Americans have obtained health insurance coverage as a result of the ACA, including enrollment through the health insurance marketplaces and expanded Medicaid, as well as health insurance market reforms such as the retention of young adults on their parents’ plans through age 26.
ASPE estimates that the national rate of uninsurance has now declined to 12.6 percent. Among Hispanics, the uninsured rate declined by 11.5 percentage points, from a baseline uninsured rate of 41.8 percent to 30.3 percent, resulting in about 4.0 million adults gaining coverage. Among African Americans, the uninsured rate declined by 10.3 percentage points, from a baseline uninsured rate of 22.4 percent to 12.1 percent, resulting in 2.6 million adults gaining coverage. Among Whites, the uninsured rate declined by 6.0 percentage points, from a baseline uninsured rate of 14.3 percent to 8.3 percent, resulting in 7.4 million adults gaining coverage.
States that implemented expanded Medicaid programs experienced a decline in their uninsured rate of 8.1 percentage points, from an average baseline rate of 18.2 percent to 10.1 percent. In contrast, states that did not implement expanded Medicaid only experienced a decline in their uninsured rate of 7.3 percentage points, from an average baseline rate of 23.4 percent to 16.1 percent.
The data brief also has accompanying technical notes for true data geeks and policy wonks:
Ignatius Bau 