By Tara Mancini

New data from the Commonwealth Fund Health Insurance Survey reveals that low-income people are the most likely to be uninsured. Almost one-third of the 55 million people who were surveyed experienced a time of uninsurance over the two-year span between June 2010 and September 2012 and the percentage of those with income below 133% FPL to report any periods of uninsurance (68%) was more than three time as high as those with income above 133% FPL (21%). In addition, 23% of those with lower incomes reported being uninsured for the entire two-year period, in contrast to 5% of those with higher incomes.

Even more concerning is the data on low-income individuals who are living in the 26 states leaning toward not expanding Medicaid: 72% of whom were uninsured at some point, and 26% were always uninsured during the two year period. Among individuals living below the poverty line in those states, almost a fifth (19%) who were uninsured at any time during 2010-2012 will have no new coverage options under the ACA.

It may come as no surprise that the lowest income are the most likely to be uninsured, but what is perplexing is that there are states not accepting federal funds which would allow them to expand coverage to the most vulnerable at little or no cost.