Uninsured rates continue to improve, ERC lower than other regions

Three sources of new data on the rate of uninsurance find similar results and, mostly, good news. Reports include 2016 Census coverage data, early 2017 coverage data from the CDC, and a Commonwealth Fund survey also from 2017. All find the percent of uninsured Americans continues to fall, especially in states that chose to expand Medicaid under the ACA. Across the ERC region, the number of uninsured dropped over 2.5 million from 2013 to 2016. However, the Commonwealth Fund survey found that the uninsured rate among adults in three subpopulations increased – people with incomes above the federal subsidy level (not surprising as premiums have grown substantially), but also 35 to 49 year olds, and adults in Medicaid non-expansion states. All three sources found that uninsured rates in the ERC region remain below the national average. According to the Census, as in the past Massachusetts residents were the most likely to be insured among all states last year.