Policy & Regulation

The uninsured rate among non-elderly American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) decreased from 32.4 percent in 2010 to 19.9 percent in 2022 – however, the AI/AN population continues to have the highest uninsured rate compared to other racial and ethnic populations.

Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) experienced larger relative gains in health insurance coverage than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010.

The uninsured rate for nonelderly Latinos decreased from 32.7 percent to 18.0 percent, from 2010 to 2022, however, Latinos are more than twice as likely to be uninsured as non-Latino Whites.

Recent legislative and administrative policy initiatives have built on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) expansion of health insurance coverage and improvements in access to and utilization of health care services.

Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage provisions, the uninsured rate among nonelderly Black Americans decreased by 10 percentage points, from 20.9 percent in 2010 to 10.8 percent in 2022.

The Welfare Indicators Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-432) requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to prepare an annual report to Congress on indicators and predictors of “welfare dependence.” That Act requires the report to include three programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program (which replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)

Newly released data from the National Health Interview Survey indicates no statistically significant change in the uninsured rate from the previous three quarters of 2023 and a continued steady decline in uninsurance since 2020.

Effective January 1, 2023, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) eliminated cost sharing and deductibles for adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) covered under Medicare Part D. In 2023, 10.3 million Medicare Part D enrollees received a recommended vaccine free of charge, which saved enrollees more than $400 million in out-of-pocket costs.

Patient navigation provides support and information to patients and their families to help navigate the complexities of health care services. These programs or services may include providing support and resources to inform clinical patient choices, financial responsibilities, and available social and community services.

Executive Orders No. 13985 (2021) and 14091 (2023) require federal agencies to ensure that their policies and services, including data collection, advance equitable outcomes for all populations. The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and the U.S.