The Affordable Care Act and Latinos

By:
Ashley Henderson, Wilma Robinson, and Kenneth Finegold, ASPE

Abstract

The Affordable Care Act includes several provisions that are expected to significantly improve health outcomes for Latinos.  New estimates from RAND suggest that 5.4 million Latinos who would otherwise be uninsured will gain coverage by 2016 through the expansion of Medicaid eligibility and the creation of Affordable Insurance Exchanges.  Many other valuable benefits, including coverage for young adults and preventive services without cost-sharing, are already in effect and benefiting Latinos across the country.

Racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care in the United States are pervasive and well-documented.  Racial and ethnic minorities still lag behind their non-Latino White counterparts across a range of health indicators, including life expectancy, prevalence of chronic diseases, and access to quality care.^1,2  In addition, individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups represent about one-third of the nation’s population, but make up over half of the estimated 50 million Americans with no health insurance coverage.³  An estimated 30.7 percent of Latinos are uninsured, compared with 16.3 percent of all Americans.⁴

The Affordable Care Act includes several provisions that are expected to significantly improve health outcomes for Latinos.⁵  New estimates from RAND suggest that 5.4 million Latinos who would otherwise be uninsured will gain coverage by 2016 through the expansion of Medicaid eligibility and the creation of Affordable Insurance Exchanges. Many other valuable benefits, including coverage for young adults and preventive services without cost-sharing, are already in effect and benefiting Latinos across the country.