Colorado has more than halved its uninsured rate since the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A survey by the Colorado Health Institute reports that the uninsured rate has dropped from 15.8 percent to 6.7 percent in the past four years.
Like other states that have seen the most dramatic increases in coverage, Colorado accepted the federally-funded expansion of Medicaid. It also set up its own health insurance exchange, although it is not clear whether that decision played a big role in the boost in coverage.
The report suggests that the Medicaid expansion has played the most significant role in boosting coverage. The public health program for low-income residents has 450,000 more enrollees now than it did two years ago. As a result, nearly a third of all Coloradans receive coverage through Medicaid now.
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In Colorado, not only do those with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level qualify for Medicaid, but children and pregnant women in families with incomes up to 260 percent of the FDL qualify for Child Health Plan Plus, a state-run program. As a result, the rate of uninsured children has declined from 7 percent to 2.5 percent.
Significantly, the uninsured rate also dropped dramatically among those between the ages of 18 and 29, the elusive group of typically healthy adults who often don't bother getting insurance. The uninsured rate for that group was a whopping 25.6 percent in 2013; it is currently 12.9 percent.
While enrollment in Colorado's Medicaid programs has shattered projections from the state's PPACA advocates, relatively few state residents have shown interest in the state-run insurance exchange. The number of people buying insurance through the individual market—409,000—has barely budged since the PPACA's implementation.
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