News Briefs: Uninsured Rate Dips to 8.4% in 2022
The national uninsured rate in 2022 was 8.4%, down from 9.2% in 2021 and 9.7% in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey. In a May 18 research note, Citi analyst Jason Cassorla noted that the lower uninsured rate is “not surprising” given efforts to make the Affordable Care Act marketplaces more affordable and accessible, such as elongated special enrollment periods and enhanced premium subsidies. Another likely factor is the Medicaid continuous enrollment requirement that was in place until April 1, 2023, due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Since Medicaid eligibility redeterminations have now resumed, “we would expect upward pressure on the uninsured rate” going forward, Cassorla wrote, but he added that a “partial offset” would come from newly Medicaid-ineligible individuals signing up for ACA marketplace coverage.
