Health Law Daily Wrap Up, GENERAL HEALTH CARE NEWS—HHS reports historic gains in minority health coverage; earmarks $500M for Navigator program to bolster access, (Jun 11, 2024)

By WK Editorial Staff

Gains a reflection of Administration efforts to increase access in underserved communities.

HHS unveiled data demonstrating historic advances in health care coverage, particularly among minority communities in five reports from the HHS’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). The gains are attributed to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s (ACA), Pub. L. No. 111-148, coverage provisions and the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to enhance access to affordable, quality health care for underserved populations. The ASPE reports also highlight the role of the Inflation Reduction Act's tax breaks in reducing health care costs and making marketplace plans more affordable.

Announced along with the ASPE reports, HHS has committed to expanding health care access by announcing a substantial $500 million investment in the Navigator program over the next five years. Navigators are instrumental in assisting individuals, especially those in underserved communities, in enrolling in health care plans.

The ASPE data revealed a notable decline in the uninsurance rates among various minority groups from 2010 to 2022. The uninsured rate for Black Americans has halved from 20.9 percent to 10.8 percent, for Latinos it has dropped from 32.7 percent to 18 percent, for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) it dropped from 16.6 percent to 6.2 percent, and for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN), it has decreased from 32.4 percent to 19.9 percent.

These coverage gains are attributed by the Administration to actions that make health insurance more accessible and maintain coverage continuity, despite the previous Administration's efforts to slash funding and enforcement. The HHS also released an ASPE issue brief titled, "Improving Access to Affordable and Equitable Health Coverage: A Review from 2010 to 2024,” detailing these efforts.

In addition to the data reports, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the largest investment to date in the Navigator program, with $100 million available for the first of five 12-month budget periods beginning this fall. This follows a consistent increase in funding for the program, contrasting sharply with the reduced funding in the years leading up to 2021.

The Administration touted the efficacy of Navigators in the enrollment figures for 2024, with a record 21.4 million people signing up for health care coverage through the marketplaces during the open enrollment period. Of those who reported their race/ethnicity, 22 percent are Latino, 9 percent are Black, 12 percent are AANHPI, and 1 percent are AI/AN. These percentages suggested that approximately five million Latino Americans, nearly two million Black Americans, over 2.5 million AANHPI Americans, and 200,000 AI/AN Americans have obtained Marketplace coverage in 2024.

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