The healthcare uninsured rate in the U.S. is rising, but not all cities are seeing the same decline. WalletHub took a look at 548 U.S. cities to compare insurance coverage rates, ranking the highest and lowest cities by uninsured rate.
The national uninsured rate in 2018 rose for the first time since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, up to 8.5% from 7.9% in 2017. While the Trump administration blamed the increase on high healthcare prices as a result of the ACA, the administration has also made it easier for individuals to purchase non-comprehensive coverage plans after expanding short-term limited duration health plans that don’t follow ACA requirements. Republicans also pulled the individual mandate requiring healthcare coverage and the associated tax penalty in a 2018 budget bill.
Here are the top 10 cities with the highest uninsured rates:
- Pharr, Texas
- Brownsville, Texas
- Laredo, Texas
- Union City, N.J.
- McAllen, Texas
- Pompano Beach, Fla.
- Garland, Texas
- Passaic, N.J.
- Pasadena, Texas
- Dallas, Texas
Texas claimed several cities ranked near the bottom of WalletHub’s list. It was one of a minority of states that opted not to expand Medicaid under the ACA, which greatly improved the uninsured rate. In Pharr, the uninsured rate only declined 1.67% from 2010 to 2018, and the adult uninsured rate was 44.32% in 2018, while the rate of uninsured children was nearly 20%.
Here are the top 10 cities with the lowest uninsured rates:
- Newton, Mass.
- San Ramon, Calif.
- Fishers, Ind.
- Highlands Ranch, Colo.
- Folsom, Calif.
- Pleasanton, Calif.
- Redondo Beach, Calif.
- Union City, Calif.
- Rochester Hills, Mich.
- Carmel, Ind.
Newton, Mass., had the lowest uninsured rate in the rankings, with just .40 % of children being uninsured in 2018 and 0.42% of adults. Massachusetts did expand Medicaid under the ACA and state residents already benefit from a health care reform law that aimed to provide coverage for all residents. In San Ramon, the uninsured rate dropped 9.12% from 2010 to 2018, while Union City saw a decline of more than 10%
WalletHub’s rankings were based on U.S. Census Bureau data, in a similar method to how it compared state insurance rates when ranking the best and worst healthcare for 2019. The list compared uninsured rates in 2018 by demographic, as well as the change in the rate from 2010 to 2018 and by size of city.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."