Fewer uninsured Americans

The share of Americans without health insurance fell in 27 states last year as unemployment remained remarkably low and the number of people on Medicare grew as the Baby Boom generation continued to retire.

Massachusetts led all states with only 2.4% of its residents uninsured. The U.S. Census Bureau said the highest uninsured rate was in Texas where 16.6% of people lacked health insurance, but even that was an improvement over the state's 18% rate two years ago.

More people were insured through work last year and public insurance coverage expanded as the nation's population continues to age. But the story differed from state to state.

"For seven of the states with lower uninsured rates in 2022, the difference was driven by increased private coverage. For 10 states, the uninsured rate decrease was related to increased public coverage," said David Waddington, chief of the Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division at the Census Bureau. In three particular states — Missouri, New York, and Virginia — the decline in the uninsured rate was a result of increases in public coverage that outweighed decreases in private coverage.