Be Healthy Denver and Denver Public Health said Monday new data indicates 94 percent of city residents have health care coverage.
Before implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2014, officials said, about 108,000 people in Denver — about 1 in 5 residents — were uninsured. Officials report 83.1 percent were insured.
Since then, more than 71,000 previously uninsured residents gained access to coverage through the expansion of Medicaid and the state health insurance exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, health officials said.
The sources of the data are the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Finance, Connect for Health Colorado, Kaiser Family Foundation and the 2012 American Community Survey, Denver Public Health spokeswoman Nikki Heider said.
Just one year into its five-year Community Health Improvement Plan, Be Healthy Denver says it has met a milestone. A 2020 goal for the city is that 95 percent of Denver residents have access to primary medical care, including behavioral health, Mayor Michael B. Hancock said in a release.
Officials said Denver’s high coverage rate was achieved through hospitals, such as Denver Health, enrolling previously uninsured patients into expanded Medicaid; enrollment specialists, such as Denver Human Services, helping residents determine eligibility for benefits; outreach by community-based organizations, such as Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice; and public health departments coordinating efforts.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported Monday that 14.1 million adults have gained health insurance since the first ACA open enrollment in October 2013.
The uninsured rate fell by 5.3 percentage points among whites, 9.2 percent among African-Americans and 12.3 percent among Latinos, HHS reported.
The overall rate of uninsured is 13.2 percent, down from 20.3 percent, HHS reported.
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276, edraper@denverpost.com or twitter.com/electadraper
