The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was signed into law in 2010, continues to affect how many people have health insurance.
In 2020, 297.6 million Americans, 91.4% of the population, were covered by some form of health insurance, according to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. That’s compared with 83.7% in 2013, the year before ACA went into effect.
To be considered covered by health insurance, an individual must have a qualifying plan for some portion of the year[1]. This “minimum essential coverage” must be comprehensive, and cover things such as vaccinations and annual doctor visits[2]. Some programs such as the Indian Health Service, dental and vision plans, and religious healthcare sharing ministries don’t qualify and would need to be supplemented with some other plans for someone to be considered insured.
