Uninsured

New & Noteworthy

How the ARPA Affects Subsidies for Marketplace Shoppers and the Uninsured
Under the ARPA, the majority of uninsured people (63%) are now eligible for financial assistance through the Marketplaces, Medicaid, or Basic Health Plans. In fact, more than 4 out of 10 uninsured people are eligible for a free or nearly free health plan through one of these programs.
Federal Policy May Temporarily Close the Coverage Gap, But Long-term Coverage May Fall Back to States
The Build Back Better Act would close the Medicaid coverage gap for three years, providing subsidized ACA marketplace coverage to 2.2 million uninsured people in the 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. But providing a permanent pathway to coverage may fall back to states in the long-term. Our Policy Watch explains the latest developments.
How Could the Build Back Better Act Affect Uninsured Children?
The vast majority of the 4.3 million uninsured children in the U.S. are already eligible for Medicaid or CHIP. We review who makes up this population and examine how new federal policies and the Build Back Better act could get them covered.
The Build Back Better Act Would Reduce Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments in Non-Expansion States
Filling the Medicaid coverage gap would lower uncompensated care costs, so the Build Back Better Act would cut disproportionate share hospital payments and limit uncompensated care pools in non-Medicaid expansion states. We explain the policy and examine the potential implications.

Who are The uninsured?

Key Facts on Health and Health Care by Race and Ethnicity
Data on demographics; health coverage, access, and utilization; and health status by race and ethnicity provides insight into the status of health disparities and changes since implementation of the ACA.
Key Facts About The Uninsured
This issue brief describes how coverage has changed in recent years, examines the characteristics of the uninsured population, and summarizes the access and financial implications of not having coverage.
The Coverage Gap: Uninsured Poor Adults in States that Do Not Expand Medicaid
Nationally, 2.2 million poor uninsured adults were in the ACA “coverage gap” in 2019 in states that had not expanded Medicaid. They earned too much to be eligible for Medicaid but not enough to qualify for Marketplace premium tax credits. Three-quarters of them reside in just four states: Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.
Taking A Closer Look At Characteristics of People in the Coverage Gap
Twelve states have not adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion, leaving 2.2 million people in the coverage gap. Understanding the characteristics of this group can help inform policy decisions.