Read more »
Health insurance coverage is provided by several public and private sources in the United States. Analyzing these statistics is more challenging due to persons with multiple sources of insurance, such as those with coverage under both an employer plan and Medicaid. During 2016, the U.S. population overall was approximately 325 million, with 53 million persons 65 years of age and over covered by the federal Medicare program. For the remaining 272 million non-institutional persons under age 65:
- There were 155 million with employer-based coverage, 90 million with other coverage, and 27 million uninsured.
- Of the 90 million with other coverage, 57 million were covered by Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 12 million were covered by the ACA/Obamacare exchanges, 11 million were covered by the ACA Medicaid expansion, and 10 million had other coverage, such as private insurance purchased outside the ACA exchanges.
- Of the 12 million on the ACA exchanges, 10 million received subsidies and 2 million did not.[1]
- Of the 27 million uninsured, 21 million (79%) were U.S. citizens while 6 million (21%) were non-citizens, including both documented and undocumented immigrants. In 2015, 45% of the uninsured were white, 32% were hispanic, and 15% were black.
- Approximately 15 million institutional (military) personnel were covered by the Veteran's Administration in 2015.
- The uninsured rate fell from a peak of 18.2% in 2010 to 10.5% by 2015, due primarily to ACA/Obamacare along with improvements in the economy.
- States that expanded Medicaid under Obamacare had lower uninsured rates than states that did not.
- Inability to afford insurance was the primary reason cited by persons without coverage (46%).
- Lack of health insurance is associated with increased mortality, in the range 30-90 thousand deaths per year, depending on the study. This figure is calculated based on 1 additional death per 300-800 persons without health insurance, on a base of 27 million uninsured persons.
0 Reviews