21,000 Rhode Islanders Have Recently Lost Health Insurance — 55% Increase, Says Report

21,000 Rhode Islanders Have Recently Lost Health Insurance — 55% Increase, Says Report

Between February and May, 21,000 Rhode Islanders lost their health insurance according to a study released Monday.

The study by Families USA’s The National Center for Coverage Innovation (NCCI) found that, “Five states have experienced increases in the number of uninsured adults that exceed 40%: Massachusetts, where the number nearly doubled, rising by 93%; Hawaii (72%); Rhode Island (55%); Michigan (46%); and New Hampshire (43%).

“The greatest public health crisis in a century has caused the deepest economic crash since World War II. In a few short months, millions of workers lost their jobs. At least 16 million of them simultaneously lost access to health insurance formerly furnished by their employers,” reports

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Despite these historic coverage losses, no COVID-19 legislation yet signed into law has made a serious effort to protect comprehensive health insurance.

KEY FINDINGS: 

- Because of job losses between February and May of this year, 5.4 million laid-off workers became uninsured.

- These recent increases in the number of uninsured adults are 39% higher than any annual increase ever recorded. The highest previous increase took place over the one-year period from 2008 to 2009, when 3.9 million nonelderly adults became uninsured.

- Nearly half (46%) of the increases in the uninsured resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crash have occurred in five states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, and North Carolina.

- In eight states 20% or more of adults are now uninsured: Texas, where nearly three in ten adults under age 65 are uninsured (29%); Florida (25%); Oklahoma (24%); Georgia (23%); Mississippi (22%); Nevada (21%); North Carolina (20%); and South Carolina (20%). All but Oklahoma are also among the 15 states with the country's highest spike in new COVID-19 cases during the week ending on July 12.
- Five states have experienced increases in the number of uninsured adults that exceed 40%: Massachusetts, where the number nearly doubled, rising by 93%; Hawaii (72%); Rhode Island (55%); Michigan (46%); and New Hampshire (43%).

- No federal COVID-19 legislation signed into law has attempted to restore or preserve comprehensive health insurance, which improves health outcomes, limits financial insecurity, and promotes economic recovery. Federal lawmakers can fill that gap in the next COVID-19 bill.

"Families in America are losing comprehensive health insurance in record numbers. This creates particularly serious dangers during a grave public health crisis and deep economic downturn. Federal lawmakers have not yet enacted any COVID-19 legislation that addresses recent, historic health insurance losses. Now is the time to fill that gap by including protections for comprehensive health insurance in the next COVID-19 bill," writes the report.

Overall, RI's non-elderly population percentage with some form of health coverage remains high -- 91%, according to their findings through May.