Before the ACA in 2011, the uninsured rate for Black Americans under the age of 65 was 20 percent, or about 7.1 million people. Now, the rate is 12 percent, or 4.4 million people.
Despite growth, the states with the largest percentages of uninsured Black adults and children are those that have not yet expanded Medicaid. HHS anticipates that if all 12 of these states expanded their Medicaid programs, 957,000 Black Americans would be newly eligible for coverage.
“As we celebrate Black History Month, we are proud to report historic gains in health care coverage for Black Americans,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “We will continue to work tirelessly to remove barriers to coverage and double down on our efforts to get more Black Americans insured.”
Read the full report here.
