ISSUE. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has substantially lowered uninsured rates nationwide. Previous research has documented that these overall declines also led to reductions in racial and ethnic disparities in health coverage rates. GOAL. To use the most recent data available to determine the extent to which the ACA has reduced disparities in insurance coverage among different racial and ethnic groups. METHODS. Analysis of the American Community Survey (ACS) for 2013to 2017. KEY FINDINGS. All racial and ethnic groups saw gains in health coverage between 2013 and 2016, but these gains were especially pronounced for minority groups and individuals with incomes below 139 percent of the federal poverty level. In 2017, gains for minority groups generally flattened. The ACA's disparity-reducing effects have been strongest in states participating in the Medicaid expansion. CONCLUSION. Gaps in insurance coverage among racial and ethnic groups narrowed the most in states that expanded Medicaid, suggesting that expansions of Medicaid in additional states would likely reduce disparities further.
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