Medicaid expansion drops Latino uninsured rate

Some 20 million Latinos live in the states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, most of them in Texas and Florida.

Slicing and dicing the data, Commonwealth said 80 percent of the uninsured were ages 19 to 49, and 60 percent of them would qualify for coverage through Medicaid if that was available to them.

“About 16 percent of Latinos who remain uninsured are likely still ineligible for the law’s coverage options due to their immigration status,” Commonwealth said.

Other highlights from the study:

• Latinos whose incomes make them eligible for Medicaid had the largest coverage gains, moving from 46 percent without insurance to 28 percent;
• 29 percent of Latinos who were potentially eligible for coverage via public exchanges or Medicaid shopped for coverage, compared to 47 percent of non-Hispanic whites potentially eligible for the law’s coverage options;
• Awareness that the public exchanges existed was low among Latinos who speak primarily Spanish, at 35 percent;
• Latinos who spoke primarily English were twice as likely to visit the marketplaces than Latinos who spoke primarily Spanish;
• 58 percent of Latinos who visited the marketplaces found it easy to find a plan they could afford compared with 38 percent of non-Hispanic whites;
• 66 percent of Latinos who visited the marketplaces selected a plan or enrolled in Medicaid compared with 47 percent of non-Hispanic whites. 

“This survey makes it clear that uninsured Latinos want the security of quality, affordable health coverage,” said Commonwealth Fund President David Blumenthal, M.D. “For Latinos to fully benefit from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, however, expanding Medicaid will be key, as will be efforts by state and federal officials to raise awareness of the marketplaces among Latinos and provide assistance to those looking for health insurance.”