Last updated: November 18, 2016

Author: State Office of Rural Health & Primary Care

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This indicator has been retired in 2016, because it is redundant to two other indicators: 1. Percent of adults (age 18-64) with health insurance and 2. Percent of children (age 0-17) with health insurance.

Currently, 96% of Vermonters of all ages have health insurance for at least basic medical care. By age group, 99% of children (ages 0-17) and 95% of adults (ages 18-64) have health insurance. This coverage is provided either through private insurance (54%), Medicaid (21%), Medicare (18%) or military (3.0%).

Despite the positive impact of the rollout of Vermont Health Connect in 2013, there are several barriers to overcome to reach our goal of 100% by 2020.

Less than 4% of all Vermonters (about 23,000) were uninsured during late 2014, including 1,300 children and 21,600 adults (ages 18-64).This is down from 10% in 2005, and 7% in 2012.Despite these decreases, more than half of uninsured children (59%) and 50% of uninsured adults age 18 to 64 have been without health insurance coverage for more than 12 months.

Nearly twice as many men (5%) are uninsured as women (2.5%). Adults aged 25-34 are the largest group of uninsured with about 8,000 persons (11%) in 2014, down from 18% in 2012. Adults aged 45-64 are the next largest group with 7,000 people remaining uninsured, down from 12,000 since 2012.

Geographically, the highest uninsured rates are in the Northeast Kingdom counties of Essex (10%) and Caledonia (7%).

Cost is still the main reason uninsured Vermonters lack health insurance coverage.Nearly 44% indicate that cost is “absolutely the only reason” they do not have health insurance. Another 22% report that cost is “one of the main reasons”.Over half (52%) of those uninsured for less than 12 months previously had private insurance through an employer or union.Another 22% previously had Medicaid, VHAP, Dr. Dynasaur through the State.

More info at: 2014 Vermont Household Health Insurance Survey Initial Findings

This indicator is part of Healthy Vermonters 2020 (the State Health Assessment) that documents the health status of Vermonters at the start of the decade and the population health indicators and goals that will guide the work of public health through 2020. Click here for more information.

Dept. of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) leads on this measure through Vermont Health Connect program, along with funded navigators & assistors at community and clinic sites.

Vermont Coalition of Clinics of the Insured (VCCU) http://www.vtccu.org/

• Bennington Free Clinic (Bennington, VT)
• The Health Assistance Program at Fletcher Allen Health Care (Burlington, VT)
• Good Neighbor Health Clinic / Red Logan Dental Clinic (White River Junction, VT)
• Health Connections at Gifford Medical Center (Randolph, VT)
• The Open Door Clinic (Middlebury, VT / Vergennes, VT)
• People's Health and Wellness Clinic (Barre, VT)
• Putney Walk-In Clinic (Putney, VT)
• Rutland Free Clinic - Medical and Dental Clinics (Rutland, VT)
• Valley Health Connections (Springfield, VT)
• Windsor Community Clinic (Windsor, VT)

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) & Bi-State Primary Care Association (PCA)

• Northern Tier Center for Health (NOTCH)
• Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley (CHSLV)
• Northern Counties Health Care (NCHC)
• The Health Center (THC)
• Little Rivers Health Center (LRHC)
• Community Health Centers of Burlington (CHCB)
• Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region (CHCRR)
• Springfield Medical Care Systems (SMCS)
• Mountain Health Center (MHC)
• Gifford Health Care (GHC)
• Battenkill Valley Health Center (BVHC)
• Indian Stream Health Center (ISHC)

Other Vermont Health Connect Navigators & Assisters, funded by DVHA & Vermont HealthConnect.

Federal and state mandates are having a positive impact on health insurance enrollment. Standardizing the list of essential health benefits in all insurance plans as well as premium assistance for low income families makes health insurance more attractive. Improved efficiency and timeliness to Vermont Health Connect website and in-person navigators and assisters have also been invaluable to enroll in plans online.

DVHA operates Vermont Health Connect, the ACA-funded online Health Insurance Exchange. DVHA also contracts with FQHCs, Free Clinics and other provider practices to employ Navigators and Assistors to work with Vermonters enrolling and re-enrolling in commercial and government funded health insurance plans.

Data is updated as it becomes available and timing may vary by data source. For more information about this indicator, click here.