GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) - The number of South Carolinians without health insurance has dropped in the last few years.
A new report shows the number of uninsured South Carolina adults declined by 7 percent from 2013 to 2015, The Greenville News (https://grnol.co/2hcmzTK) reported.
The report from the Commonwealth Fund shows that even though South Carolina did not expand its Medicaid program, the uninsured rate dropped from 23 percent to 16 percent.
The national decline was from 20 percent to 13 percent.
The report attributes the drop to the Affordable Care Act. The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation that pushes for better health care.
“We know that health insurance is essential for people to get the care they need,” said Sara Collins, vice president for coverage and access with the Commonwealth Fund. “In this time of uncertainty about the ACA, it’s important to keep in mind the financial and health protection health insurance provides for families.”
Among low-income residents in South Carolina, the uninsured rate fell from 39 percent to 29 percent. The national rate among low-income residents dropped from 38 percent to 25 percent.
There were also racial disparities in the numbers.
The uninsured rate among whites dropped from 18 percent to 13 percent in South Carolina. Among blacks it dropped from 27 percent to 18 percent.
The uninsured rate for Hispanics in South Carolina fell from 56 percent to 45 percent.
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Information from: The Greenville News, https://www.greenvillenews.com
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