Updated statistics on health insurance status from the American Community Survey are now available on RACECOUNTS.org. From the years 2014-18, these estimates include civilian, non-institutionalized people who do not have health insurance. Overall, uninsured rates and numbers dropped dramatically compared to the 2010-14 estimates. Much of this is likely due to the Affordable Care Act that expanded Medicaid and has provided health insurance subsidies to many since 2014.
Health insurance can help prevent and manage serious medical conditions, connect families to treatment, encourage preventative health steps, and help protect families from high medical costs.
Performance: 8.5% of Californians reported a lack of health insurance between 2014 and 2018. Mono County had the highest uninsured rate with 16.6% of its population lacking health insurance.
Disparity: Statewide, Non-Latinx Whites have the lowest uninsured rate (4.6%) and Californians of other races the highest (15.7%), followed by Latinxs (13.8%) and American Indians and Alaska Natives (13.4%). Mono County reported the greatest disparities in insurance rates, with county non-Latinx Whites having a substantially lower uninsured rate (6.6%) than Latinxs (43.9%), and those of other races (52.7%).
Impact: The American Community Survey estimates that almost 3.3 million Californians did not have insurance between 2014 and 2018. Latinxs were numerically, the largest within that group: an estimated 2,074,709 Latinxs were uninsured. Click here for data.