A new report examines who the 32.9 million remaining nonelderly uninsured people are in the United States, using data from early 2015. Among the report’s findings, the authors note that many of the remaining uninsured are eligible for public sources of coverage like Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or have incomes qualifying them for federal assistance to help them afford health insurance.
Prepared by researchers at the Urban Institute with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the report shows nearly 28 percent of the remaining uninsured are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP and about 10 percent have low incomes (at or below 200% of the federal poverty level) and are eligible for the most financial assistance through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces.
Researchers also found that among the remaining uninsured:
- 67 percent of uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, compared with only 21 percent of uninsured adults;
- 12 percent, or 3.8 million people have very low incomes but live in states that have chosen not to expand their Medicaid programs, making them ineligible for any financial assistance with their health insurance;
- White non-Hispanics make up the largest share of the uninsured (46%), but they have the lowest rate of being uninsured (9% are uninsured);
- 21 percent, or 6.9 million people, are eligible for federal tax credits to purchase coverage; and
- 47 percent of the uninsured live in southern states, and southern state residents have the highest rate of being uninsured -- 15 percent are uninsured.
The researchers also describe potential outreach strategies targeted to the characteristics of the remaining uninsured population most amenable to increases in coverage.
"The fact that half of the remaining uninsured are eligible for affordable coverage is a major achievement, but also a bit of a puzzle,” said Kathy Hempstead, who directs coverage issues at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "To further expand coverage, we must increase takeup in this group, but we also must address the eligibility and affordability issues for the reminder of the uninsured population."
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If you would like to discuss the report or its findings with an expert, please contact Frank Walsh at 504-309-5164 [email protected].
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care. We are working with others to build a national Culture of Health enabling everyone in America to live longer, healthier lives. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter atwww.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.
