One in five Latino seniors lacks health insurance | Forward Valley

WASHINGTON – A new analysis from the AARP Public Policy Institute reveals that, in 2019, about one in five Latinos between the ages of 50 and 64 lacked health insurance.

While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) significantly reduced racial and ethnic disparities associated with the ability to purchase health insurance among people ages 50 to 64, 20 percent of Latinos of those ages lacks health insurance; this rate is almost three times that of non-Hispanic whites.

In fact, AARP’s analysis reveals that, in 2019, a 64-year-old with an income above the limit that would allow him to receive subsidies under the ACA, would have had to pay, on average, almost 30 percent of his income. to obtain a health insurance policy.

However, two recent changes in public policy will help older Latino adults who do not have health insurance to purchase a policy at a reasonable price.

A provision of the American Rescue Plan Act limits, for two years, the amount that a person will have to pay for health insurance to 8.5 percent of their income.

A special enrollment period available starting today will allow Latinos to purchase individual health insurance through the ACA until August 15 of this year.

“While the Affordable Care Act has greatly reduced the number of older Latino adults lacking health insurance, many Latinos ages 50-64 remain marginalized from purchasing an individual policy.” said Yvette Peña, vice president of Hispanic / Latino Audience Strategies for AARP’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“We want to make sure older Latino adults who lack health insurance know that the new subsidies are available, and that previously unaffordable health insurance can now be part of the family budget,” added Peña.

Beginning April 1, AARP will conduct an information campaign to publicize the special enrollment period and the new subsidies that will greatly reduce the cost of health insurance for millions of Latinos in the country.

For more information on how to obtain a health insurance policy during this special period you can visit aarp.org/SeguroACA.

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