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A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 16 SepteMber 2019

Rise in health uninsured may be linked to immigrants' fears

Associated Press with immigration ... poten-
WASHINGTON (AP) — tially in some unexpected
When the Census Bureau ways." Frank was a high-
reported an increase in the ranking health policy ad-
number of people without viser in the Obama admin-
health insurance in Ameri- istration.
ca, it sent political partisans The uninsured rate for for-
reaching for talking points eign-born people, includ-
on the Obama-era health ing those who have be-
law and its travails. But the come U.S. citizens, also rose
new numbers suggest that significantly, mirroring the
fears of the Trump adminis- shift among Hispanics.
tration's immigration crack- Frank noted that immi-
down may be a more sig- grant families often include
nificant factor in the slip- foreign-born and native-
page. born relatives, "and you
Overall, the number of un- can imagine the new ap-
insured in the U.S. rose by proach to immigration in-
1.9 million people in 2018, hibiting these people from
the agency report this past doing things that would
week. It was the first jump in make them more visible to
nearly a decade. An esti- public authorities," such as
mated 27.5 million people, In this Aug. 13, 2019, file photo, a worker gets ready to pass out instructions in how fill out the 2020 applying for government
or 8.5% of the population, census during a town hall meeting in Lithonia, Ga. health care programs.
lacked coverage the en- Associated Press Immigrants' fears may also
tire year. Such increases be part of the reason for a
are considered unusual in whites, blacks and Asians. for their party's 2020 presi- fordable for solid middle- significant increase in the
a strong economy. "Some of the biggest de- dential nomination. Can- class people who do not number of uninsured chil-
The report showed that a clines in coverage are didates wasted no time in qualify for financial assis- dren in 2018, said Kather-
drop in low-income people coming among Latinos and Thursday's debate high- tance. "The reality is we will ine Hempstead, a senior
enrolled in Medicaid was noncitizens," said Larry Lev- lighting the split between continue to see the number health policy expert with
the most significant factor itt of the nonpartisan Kaiser progressives such as Sens. of uninsured increase until the nonpartisan Robert
behind the higher number Family Foundation, who Bernie Sanders and Eliza- we address the underlying Wood Johnson Founda-
of uninsured people. tracks trends in health in- beth Warren , who favor issues in Obamacare that tion, which works to ex-
Hispanics were the only surance coverage. "These a government-run system have failed the American pand coverage. Among
major racial and ethnic declines in coverage are for all, including people people," the statement immigrant children who
category with a significant coming at a time when the without legal permission said. have become citizens, the
increase in their uninsured Trump administration has to be in the country, and While the report found an uninsured rate rose by 2.2
rate. It rose by 1.6 percent- tried to curb immigration moderates like former Vice increase in the uninsured percentage points in 2018,
age points in 2018, with and discourage immigrants President Joe Biden. He rate among solid middle- to 8.6%. The increase was
nearly 18% lacking cover- from using public benefits supports building on the class people the Trump greater among kids who
age. There was no signifi- like Medicaid." Affordable Care Act and administration wants to are not citizens.
cant change in health in- Health care is the defining adding a new public plan help, there was no signifi- "There are a lot of kids eli-
surance for non-Hispanic issue for Democrats vying option, open to U.S. citizens cant change in employer gible for public coverage
and legal residents. coverage or in plans that but not enrolled because
Although the candidates consumers purchase di- of various things that make
did not dwell on the un- rectly. Those are the types it less comfortable for peo-
insured rate, Democratic of health insurance that ple to enroll in public cov-
congressional leaders have middle-class workers tend erage," said Hempstead.
said the census figures to have. Other patterns in The administration's "public
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law's high premiums, unaf- gest that we are dealing year. q