This issue brief from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) describes the demographic characteristics of the remaining uninsured Americans who are likely to enroll for health insurance for 2016 through the health insurance marketplaces established through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ASPE estimates that 10.5 million currently uninsured Americans would be eligible for health insurance through the federal and state marketplaces for 2016. The third open enrollment period for the marketplaces begins on November 1, 2015 and ends on January 31, 2016.
The demographic characteristics of the 10.5 million potentially eligible Americans are:
- Nearly half (48 percent) of eligible uninsured individuals have family incomes between 100% and 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and may qualify for both subsidies or advance payments of the premium tax credit (APTC), and cost-sharing reductions. About 30 percent have incomes between 250% and 400% FPL and may qualify for APTC.
- More than 70 percent are employed.
- An estimated 57 percent of the QHP-eligible uninsured are men.
- Almost half of QHP-eligible uninsured individuals are between the ages of 18 and 34.
- Approximately one-third of the QHP-eligible uninsured are people of color: 19 percent are Hispanic, 14 percent are African American, and 2 percent are Asian American.
- Nearly two-thirds report being in excellent or very good health, compared with 8 percent whose reported health is fair or poor.
- However, nearly half (49 percent) report not having a usual source of care.
ASPE used data from the National Health Interview Survey Preliminary Quarterly Microdata Files for January-March 2015 to calculate these estimates.
Ignatius Bau 