New survey data highlight who is still without health insurance as of March 2015, showing that the majority of the remaining uninsured (53.1%) live in states that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Researchers from the Urban Institute, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, analyzed data and found these states’ share of the country’s uninsured population has risen since the ACA (from 44.5% to 53.1%) was implemented. The data also show that a larger share of the uninsured population is now located in Southern states, compared to pre-ACA Medicaid expansion and introduction of marketplaces (from 41.3% to 48.4%).
In addition to information on where the uninsured live, the survey data also illustrate who is eligible for financial assistance. More than two-thirds of uninsured adults (70.8%) are potentially eligible for either Medicaid or subsidies to help purchase coverage through the health insurance marketplaces. However, nearly a quarter of the remaining uninsured (22.6%) likely fall into the coverage gap in states that did not expand Medicaid (i.e., people with incomes too high for Medicaid eligibility, but too low to qualify for subsidies).
When asked why they had not signed up for coverage, more than six in 10 of the remaining uninsured (61.2%) mention affordability issues.
“Coverage has increased tremendously in recent years, but one by-product of this success is that the path forward becomes more challenging,” said Kathy Hempstead, who directs coverage issues at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “A growing share of the remaining uninsured are not eligible for publicly funded options, and many of the rest are opting out on affordability grounds.”
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To speak with an expert about the data, please contact Frank Walsh at [email protected] or 202-745-5110.
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 striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.
