Eight out of 10 uninsured Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders may be eligible for Medicaid, CHIP or tax credits in the Health Insurance Marketplace

Eighty-nine percent of uninsured Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders could qualify for lower costs on coverage if all states expanded Medicaid

According to a new report released today by HHS, 8 out of 10 (1.6 million) uninsured Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) may be eligible for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace and could qualify for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or tax credits to help with the cost of premiums. If all states took advantage of new opportunities to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act, 89 percent of uninsured Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders who may be eligible for the Marketplace might qualify for Medicaid, the CHIP, or tax credits to help with the cost of health insurance premiums. “The health care law is working to address long standing disparities in access to health care that have affected minority communities,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 1.9 million uninsured  Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have new options to obtain quality, affordable health care coverage through the Marketplace.“ Today’s report also details uninsurance rates by state and provides several examples of what premiums might look like for AANHPI’s living in major metropolitan areas. More than half of uninsured AANHPI citizens and others lawfully residing in the U.S. live in California, Texas, and New York. A 27-year-old in San Francisco with an income of $25,000 can pay as little as $21 a month for a bronze plan after applying the tax credit, while a family of four with an income of $50,000 could pay zero for a bronze plan after applying the tax credit. Nationwide, about 798,000 uninsured AANHPI’s may be eligible for coverage through Medicaid or the CHIP. States have new opportunities to expand Medicaid coverage to include Americans with family incomes at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level (generally $31,322 for a family of four in 2013). This expansion includes adults without dependent children living at home, who have not previously been eligible in most states. To read today’s report, visit: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2014/UninsuredAANHPI/rb_UninsuredAANHPI.pdf Security and peace of mind are a click or phone call away. You can sign up 24 hours a day, 7-days a week at HealthCare.gov (which is working smoothly) or 1-800-318-2596. You can even get in-person help in your own community (just visit localhelp.healthcare.gov and punch in your zip code).