The number of Rhode Islanders without health insurance remains reassuringly low, according to the latest Rhode Island Health Information Survey from HealthSource RI, Rhode Island’s health insurance marketplace.
The most recent survey estimates that 2.2% of Rhode Islanders are uninsured, compared to 2.9% in the previous survey conducted in 2022.
This decline is within the survey’s margin of error of +1.3% to -0.8%. But HealthSource’s news release Tuesday said Medicaid renewals will resume this year for the first time since the pandemic, raising the possibility of lower rates of enrollment in the income-restricted program. He suggested that insurance rates could still be taken as a good sign.
“This incredible penetration rate across most of Rhode Island is a sign of the maturity of a state-based market built and tailored to the needs of Rhode Islanders,” Health Source RI director Lindsey Lang said in a statement Tuesday.
“HSRI is working more closely than ever with our Medicaid partners to ensure continuity of coverage for thousands of people, and our services for small business owners continue to grow and serve the state’s businesses. and more and more families and individuals are looking to us for their health insurance coverage.” Lang added.
The national uninsured rate was about 8% in 2022, according to data from the American Community Survey. HealthSource’s statement said that while the 2023 national data reaffirmed Rhode Island’s performance above the national average, the federal government “uses a different methodology…direct comparisons with health information surveys.” “It is difficult,” he said.
Approximately 24,000 Rhode Islanders are uninsured at 2.2%. According to HealthSource, many more people may be affected by lack of insurance, inadequate coverage, and high out-of-pocket costs. In particular, racial disparities persist, with 7.1% of Hispanics and 4.1% of black Rhode Islanders uninsured, while the uninsured rate for white Rhode Islanders is 1.3%. It turned out that.
The uninsured rate for those born outside the United States was 8.8%. The overall coverage rate for full-time workers was not very good. In fact, the uninsured rate for people working full time was 3.9%, higher than the state average.
However, the study showed positive results for children 17 and under, with an uninsured rate of 0.2%. The uninsured rate for middle-aged Rhode Islanders between the ages of 45 and 64 was 1.8%. Young adults, or people ages 18 to 25, returned to a 12-year downward trend, with 3.5% uninsured.
The number of people between the ages of 26 and 35, including those who are no longer eligible for their parents’ health insurance, continues to decline from a high of 26% in 2012. New research shows the uninsured rate among this population has increased from 7.6% in 2012. In 2022-2023, it will be 6.4%.
Governor Dan McKee released a statement regarding the overall positive numbers: “I am proud that Rhode Island has done a great job of keeping its people insured and even national health insurance, even as we reintroduced the annual Medicaid renewal process at the end of the pandemic.”Uninsured The rate reached an all-time low. ”
HealthSource has conducted six health information surveys since 2012. Questions include topics such as insurance status, medical costs, experience with and use of medical services, and demographic details. The latest survey was conducted online and by phone and involved approximately 7,500 Rhode Islanders from 2,900 households. This year’s entire survey is available on the HealthSource RI website.
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