Although the Affordable Care Act dramatically expanded health insurance coverage, a new report from the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) finds that millions of workers between the ages of 18 and 64 ( (many of whom are employed full-time) are increasing their health insurance coverage. They are not covered by insurance and are caught between the limits of the law.
A new research paper, “Chronic Illness: Working Without Health Insurance,” finds that approximately 16 million workers did not have health insurance in the 12 months of 2023. Approximately 10.2 million of these uninsured workers had full-time jobs.
The paper, written by CEPR National Outreach and Research Assistant Emma Curtin and Senior Researcher John Schmidt, focuses specifically on workers aged 18 to 64 and covers the period from 2018 to 2023. The aim is to assess the demographic characteristics of the uninsured population. Employed full-time throughout the year.
The study found significant racial or ethnic disparities within this group. Hispanic full-time workers (21.1%) were significantly more likely to be uninsured than black (9.1%), Asian (5.1%), and white full-time workers (5.5%). There are also significant gender disparities among full-time workers. 6.8% of women were uninsured, compared to 10.4% of men.
Full-time workers born outside the U.S. who are not U.S. citizens (28.9%) are much more likely to be uninsured than U.S.-born workers who are U.S. citizens (6.7%) or foreign-born workers (8.6%). Highly sexual.
A similar disparity exists in educational attainment. The uninsured rate for full-time workers with less than a high school diploma (32.3%) is much higher than for those with a degree (13.9%). Workers who have graduated from some college but do not have a degree (7.9%) are nearly twice as likely to be uninsured than those with some college (4.0%).
There were significant disparities among salaried workers. More than 20 percent of full-time workers in the bottom 20 percent of income earners were uninsured. The uninsured rate for the top 20 percent was 1.7 percent.
This paper is based on annual survey data from the Census Bureau. Overall, this represents a conservative estimate of the uninsured population because under their methodology, workers are only counted as uninsured if they are uninsured for the entire year.
“The Affordable Care Act has provided insurance to millions of Americans, especially those workers who feel they are too young for Medicare and those who earn wages above the threshold for Medicaid coverage. “There are still significant disparities for those who are ill,” he said. Emma Curchin, National Outreach and Research Assistant at CEPR. “These gaps leave millions of people, many of whom work full-time year-round, unable to secure insurance. policymakers must focus on solutions to provide consistent insurance coverage for all.”
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