Virginia hits record-low uninsured rate
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Uninsured rates hit record lows in Virginia and all U.S. states by 2023, driven by coverage expansions under the Affordable Care Act and related policy changes, per a new report.
Why it matters: Virginia's drop in uninsured residents boosted its overall health score, leading to one of the biggest year-over-year ranking jumps in the country.
Driving the news: The uninsured rate for working-age Virginia adults dropped from 17.3% in 2013 to 8.7% in 2023, according to an analysis of census data from the Commonwealth Fund, a health care foundation.
- Nationwide, the uninsured rate for U.S. adults dropped from 20.4% in 2013 to 11% in 2023.
The big picture: The Commonwealth Fund annually ranks states on their health performance across a variety of metrics, including access, affordability, prevention and rates of insured residents.
- Virginia ranked as No. 14 in the nation for overall health performance, a five-place rank jump year-over-year. The state was one of seven to see a significant score increase, the fund noted.
- Virginia also ranked as No. 1 for health care in the Southeast.
Yes, but: The Southeast is broadly not the best region for health care. Every other Southeast state ranked with "lower than average [heath care] performance," per the report.
- Plus, Virginia sits at No. 21 in the nation for health care access and affordability, its lowest ranking across the fund's five categories.
The intrigue: The report specifically highlighted Virginia for its work investing in primary care infrastructure, which studies show leads to fewer hospitalizations and ER visits, plus better health outcomes overall.
- The state launched a task force dedicated to the effort in 2020. Through the initiative, Virginia was able to secure $151 million more in primary care spending within the state's Medicaid program.
What we're watching: Congressional Republicans have been pushing for significant Medicaid cuts and changes that could result in millions of Americans losing their coverage.
Go deeper and read Virginia's full health scorecard