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A new data brief by the Office of Minority Health, examining
the characteristics of uninsured adult males by race and
ethnicity, is a useful tool to inform federal, state and
community efforts aimed at improving insurance coverage of
targeted populations. This type of data will enhance our
ability to better measure and track health differences of
racial and ethnic minority populations in the future.
Using data from the 2012 American Community Survey (ACS), an
annual ongoing survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau,
the data brief highlights several factors that impact health
and access to health care for minority men.
Examples of key findings include:
·
Nearly two out of five African-American and Latino adult
males less than 35 years old were uninsured.
·
A majority of uninsured adult males across all racial and
ethnic groups 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 majority of uninsured adult males across all racial and
ethnic groups report having a full-time worker in the
household.
·
African-American males reported the highest proportion (60
percent) of respondents with family income at or below 100
percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
·
Twenty-eight percent of uninsured adult Asian and 24 percent
of uninsured adult Latino males reside in a limited English
proficient household.
·
A lower percentage of uninsured Latino (six percent) and
Asian (five percent) males reported experiencing a
disability compared to 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 (ACA),
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.
National data repositories are powerful tools to advance
health equity. Data informs our knowledge about uninsured
minority men and can help inform targeted interventions and
outreach at the federal, state and community levels to
ensure that more men of color and their families obtain
quality, affordable health care. It also informs efforts to
improve minority men’s access to opportunities for coverage
and preventive health benefits through the Affordable Care
Act. Because we understand that at its most basic level
health is about opportunity, we are committed to removing
barriers to achieving good health for all.
During Men’s Health Month, we’re encouraging all men to take
a powerful step towards good health by making healthier food
choices, avoiding smoking, staying active, reducing risk for
injury and scheduling a check-up. Men and their families may
still be eligible to enroll in affordable health coverage
through the Health Insurance Marketplace by qualifying for a
special enrollment
period or through Medicaid. Visit
www.HealthCare.gov for
more information |
