Florida lags most of U.S. in residents with health insurance

Florida ranks fourth in the U.S. for its percentage of people under 65 without health insurance: 13.9%, according to new Census Bureau data.

Why it matters: That's a big improvement over 2006, when 24.9% of Floridians were uninsured — but still well above the national uninsured rate of 9.5%.

By the numbers: About 2.3 million Floridians under 65 lack health insurance.

• Glades County leads Florida in uninsured residents, with nearly a quarter of its population without health insurance.
• Manatee, Polk and Hernando counties have the highest percentage of uninsured residents in Tampa Bay.

Between the lines: Florida is among 10 states that haven't expanded Medicaid.

• That's left people who would've qualified for such coverage to enroll in ACA plans — which for now offer expanded coverage options for those above the federal poverty level.
• Since April 2023, the state has cut over 1.9 million people from Medicaid , according to data from KFF.

The big picture: The uninsured rate fell in 627 U.S. counties and increased in only 23 between 2021 and 2022 — meaning Americans are trending toward being covered.

• The causes include coverage expansions under the Affordable Care Act and social safety net policies enacted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yes, but: More recent preliminary data shows an uptick in the overall uninsured rate as states cut Medicaid rolls and unemployment rises, Axios' Maya Goldman reports .