Number of uninsured in Maryland, nation declines
More people in Maryland and nationwide were covered by health insurance last year, the first year of coverage became available under health reform, than the year before, according to new census data.
The data from a set of reports released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that more than 130,000 more people were insured in Maryland, where leaders aggressively pursued reforms but bungled the rollout of the online marketplace where people sign up for coverage.
The number of uninsured people fell to 463,000, or 7.9 percent of the state’s population, in 2014 from 593,000, or 10.2 percent, the year before.
Some conservatives, including those at the Heritage Foundation, have questioned whether the census is a good way to track those without coverage, as many people move in and out of plans with their employment and few are chronically uninsured.
Nonetheless, the expansion of coverage, particularly through Medicaid, has benefited individuals’ health and evenutally will save money, said Benjamin Orr, executive director of the Maryland Center for Economic Policy, a nonpartisan think tank.
As more people are insured, the burden declines on others to pay the cost of uncompensated care through taxes, increased premiums, or, as in Maryland, higher hospital rates, Orr said.
Several studies also have cited high deductibles as a reason many people were forgoing medical care. A Commonwealth Fund report released earlier this year said 31 million working-age adults in the United States were underinsured, meaning they had high out-of-pocket costs relative to their incomes.
“Health care debt is probably one of largest issue American households face nationally,” Orr said. “Certainly increasing access to insurance helps… Health care reform is working and by expanding it, more Marylanders are able to access the care they need and take care of their families. That has immediate impacts and impacts down the road.”
