Minority groups’ uninsured rates plummeted under Affordable Care Act: Research

Uninsured rates among minority groups in the U.S. plunged between 2010 and 2022, according to reports released Friday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The increase in the number of insured people points to the impact of the Affordable Care Act, former President Obama’s signature health law.

The uninsured rate among Black Americans fell from 20.9 percent in 2010 to 10.8 percent in 2022, based on available census data analyzed in the reports.

Among Latinos, the uninsured rate dropped from 32.7 percent to 18 percent and from 32.4 percent to 19.9 percent among American Indians and Alaska Natives during that time.

The uninsured rate among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders dropped from 16.6 percent to 6.2 percent from 2010 to 2022.

The Affordable Care Act went into effect under the Obama administration in 2010, aligning with the beginning of the range of census data analyzed in the reports.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra praised the findings in a press release accompanying the reports Friday.

“Today’s data show just how far we have come in reaching Black, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaska Native populations, who are disproportionately uninsured,” Becerra said.

The administration also announced a $500 million investment in the agency’s Navigators program, which aims to promote the ACA and help Americans make sense of coverage options available under the legislation. The $500 million will be issued in grants over the next five years.

“HHS is doubling down on our efforts by announcing another historic investment in Navigators, helping us continue to reach record enrollment in underserved communities,” Becerra’s statement said.

The reports come nearly three months after the ACA marked its 14th year in March. President Biden and his campaign, on the commemorative date, highlighted threats to repeal the ACA since its passage from former President Donald Trump and Republicans.

“Donald Trump tried to rip away our health care,” a Biden campaign ad released the same weekend said.

“If he succeeds …45 million Americans could lose their health insurance, and you could be one of them,” the ad continued.

“Repealing the Affordable Care Act has been in virtually every Congressional Republican budget since the law passed,” Biden said in a post to social platform X on the anniversary of the ACA’s passage.

“There’s even cuts to it in the budget they put forward just this week. I’ve stopped them before and I’ll stop them again,” Biden’s post continued.