While the uninsured rate has fallen among all racial and ethnic groups, a new analysis found those groups remain more likely than whites to be uninsured as of 2015.
The analysis released Friday from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation notes that the uninsured rate last year fell dramatically for African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians and Alaskan natives.
The analysis looked at the uninsured rate from 2013-15. Nationally, it fell from 15 percent in 2013 to 10 percent. It has since fallen below 9 percent.
Racial and ethnic groups saw sharper declines. For instance, the Hispanic uninsured rate fell from 26 percent in 2013 to 17 percent in 2015.
The rate for African-Americans fell from 17 percent in 2013 to 12 percent, and the rate for whites fell from 12 percent to 8 percent over the same period.
Kaiser said the findings show that potential gains in insurance coverage could be achieved through targeting racial and ethnic groups.
“Understanding which groups remain at higher risk for being uninsured, their characteristics and how eligibility for coverage varies by race and ethnicity can help inform these efforts,” the analysis said.
The analysis was based on current population survey data for the U.S. nonelderly population.
