HHS cites Medicaid, enhanced ARP supports for uninsured declines

The number of U.S. adults without insurance continued to decline to historically low rates in the first quarter of 2022. Uninsured children rose slightly from 4Q21 to 1Q22, but remained at historically low levels. The cause appears to be amped up government subsidies for insurance policies available to individuals and families through the Affordable Care Act market.

That’s what a report from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department concludes. Based on HHS’s analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

the report tracks insurance coverage for those not covered by employer plans. The expanding availability of Medicaid coverage, plus further premium subsidies from the American Rescue Plan, were cited by the report as coinciding with the declines.