Health Insurance Coverage Rates

These charts show health insurance coverage rates as captured by the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS), so they reflect the impact of the Affordable Care Act. Levels of coverage are generally high, with a couple of notable disparities. The rural coverage rate (87 percent) is significantly lower than in the suburbs (94 percent), while the urban sample is too small to draw statistically significant conclusions. Across the income spectrum, the $20-35K population appears to have the lowest coverage rate. The under $20K population benefits most from the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, while those with higher incomes are less likely to qualify and are therefore more likely to have trouble affording coverage.