Rural Health Policy Project

Council of Economic Advisers Reports Uninsured Rate Now at Lowest Point in History

Last month, the Council of Economic Advisers released a report demonstrating that historic progress on health insurance coverage is due, in large part, to the ACA. Since the ACA took effect, an estimated 20 million additional adults gained health insurance, the children’s uninsured rate fell by almost half, and the overall uninsured rate fell to the lowest point in history.

The success in reducing the uninsured rate is shared across population groups. The figure below shows the decreases in the uninsured rate segmented by income, age, race and ethnicity, and urban (MSA) and rural (non-MSA). Some of the largest decreases in uninsurance were for families with incomes under 200% FPL and states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Check out the report for more on the consequences of broader coverage and reforming the health care delivery system.

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