WASHINGTON, DC – A new data brief released by the Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during Men’s Health Month examines the characteristics of uninsured adult males by race and ethnicity, using the most recent data from the 2012 American Community Survey.
Findings from the survey, which include information on social and economic factors, such as poverty and education level, that influence insurance coverage, should be considered in developing strategies to increase insurance coverage and access to care for minority adult males.
The survey findings provide additional information on the patterns of uninsurance among non-elderly males prior to the establishment of the Health Insurance Marketplace and the expansion of Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Highlights of the survey findings include:
Among uninsured adult males, ages 19-34, Latino and African American males exhibited the highest estimates of uninsurance.
More than 70 percent of African American and White uninsured adult males and nearly 60 percent of Asian and Latino uninsured adult males have a high school diploma.
A high proportion of uninsured adult males across all racial and ethnic groups reported family incomes at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
A high proportion of uninsured Latino adult males (81 percent) report having a full-time worker in the household.
Uninsured African American males reported the highest proportion (60 percent) of family income at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
A high percentage of uninsured adult Asian (28 percent) and Latino (24 percent) males also reside in a limited English proficient household.
A lower percentage of uninsured Latino (6 percent) and Asian (5 percent) males experience disability (versus 12 percent of White and 11 percent of African American uninsured males).
While data from the 2012 ACS survey shows disparities among uninsured males, through the Affordable Care Act, progress has been made in increasing access to affordable health care coverage:
Over the course of the first Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment period, more than 8 million people were enrolled as part of the ACA.
New data from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that as many as six in 10 people who purchased health insurance through the Marketplace were previously uninsured.
Accordingly to recent Gallup data, the most dramatic drops in the insured rate were among African Americans, Latinos and low-income Americans.
This type of data and knowledge about uninsured minority males can help inform targeted interventions and outreach efforts to improve enrollment opportunities for minority men in health insurance coverage, including the open enrollment periods for the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Over the past several decades, our nation has made vast improvements in scientific knowledge, public health and health care. The health status of racial and ethnic minority men still lags behind the general population. Increasing insurance coverage of minority males is critical to their ability to access health care systems, reduce preventable illnesses and improve their health outcomes.
To read the full data brief please visit http://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/assets/pdf/OMH_Mens_Health_Data_Brief.pdf .
