DC residents are more likely to have health insurance than in almost any other part of the nation, and the District is doing especially well providing insurance to children, according to the newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Still, some 42,000 residents were 
uninsured in 2013, an increase of 5,000 from the previous year. As implementation of the Affordable Care Act continues, it will be important for DC to continue to make progress toward covering all residents.
Some 595,000 District residents, or 93 percent, had access the health insurance in 2013, according to data released today from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The rate of health coverage puts DC second only to Massachusetts in coverage. The high rate of coverage is a direct result of the District’s expansion of Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and above-average rates of employer-provided insurance.
The District has done especially well covering children, with nearly 98 percent of kids covered through some kind of insurance — half of whom are on Medicaid.
Despite this progress, the number of residents without health insurance rose to 42,000 in 2013, up from 37,000 in the prior year. It is unclear at this point what is driving the increase. Importantly, the District is still in the midst of implementing the Affordable Care Act and is likely to see a reduction in the number of people without insurance going forward. Most notably, the District implemented DC Health Link — the online marketplace that increases access to affordable health plans — in 2014. Thanks to assertive outreach, we already know that 51,000 people have used DC Health Link to enroll in Medicaid or a private health plan.
Later this week, the Census Bureau will release more data on health insurance coverage, as well as on incomes and poverty among DC residents. Look for more information in Thursday’s District’s Dime. Stay tuned!
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