Delaware ranks 15th among the 50 states in the percentage of people covered by health insurance, according to a report from the financial advice website WalletHub.
As the interactive map indicates, states in the northern tier of the country tend to have higher rates of health insurance coverage, with lower rates in the Sun Belt states.
After the passage of the Affordable Care Act — dubbed “Obamacare” — the uninsured rate for all adult Americans dipped to a historic low. But the uninsured rate is back on the rise, WalletHub noted. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the national uninsured rate reached 9.2 percent in 2019, compared to 8.9 percent in 2018.
The percentage of Delawareans with health insurance coverage dropped by 3.1 percent.
The Affordable Care Act has emerged as an election issue, with the Trump administration supporting its repeal and taking the case to the U.S Supreme Court. The administration says it will offer a replacement plan that will bar insurers from denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.
Another factor is coronavirus, with Wallet Hub reporting that hospitalization costs for a single case averages $73,000.
Many states outside the Sun Belt have broadened eligibility for Medicaid coverage for those with lower incomes, a factor that has lowered the rate of uninsureds residents.
Click here for the full report.
