Health insurance coverage in the District continues to improve under DC’s health reform and expansion efforts, according to data released today from the American Community Survey. Public health insurance programs, such as Medicaid, are of growing importance to DC residents, as many remain out of work and with reduced incomes in the wake of the Great Recession.
The share of District residents without health insurance fell from 8 percent to 6 percent — to about 37,000 residents — between 2010 and 2012. This is well below the national uninsured rate of 15 percent.
The growth in insurance coverage resulted from growing participation in public health insurance programs, including Medicaid, among non-elderly adults. The growth in public coverage resulted from higher need in the wake of the recession and the District’s decision in recent years to expand Medicaid coverage to new adult populations.
Private health coverage has not changed since 2010, but remains high. About 70 percent of District residents purchased private health insurance or received coverage through their employer. Young adults, aged 18-64, have a slightly better rate of private coverage at 72 percent.
The share of residents who are uninsured fell for all across the board. White non-Hispanic residents have the lowest share of uninsured at 3 percent. Hispanic residents have the highest rate of uninsured at about 13 percent, but that rate has fallen more than any other group since 2010.
Thanks to the District’s aggressive health reform efforts, more residents have health insurance today than they did in 2010. While private coverage remains unchanged, Medicaid and other public programs are ensuring that newly vulnerable residents have access to affordable health care.
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