Health insurance is critical to accessing medical care and financial stability. People without insurance may delay necessary care and forgo preventive care altogether, which can lead to more serious and costly medical problems in the future. A major illness or injury can financially ruin an uninsured family.

In 2024, 90% of residents had health insurance, up from 84% in 2014 and 3 points below the national rate. Rates increased in 2014 following implementation of the Affordable Care Act and expansion of Medicaid. Arkansas had the 41st highest rate in the nation on this indicator, including the 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Health insurance coverage was at 93% for both Black non-Hispanics and White non-Hispanics respectively. Hispanics had a much lower rate at 60%. Men (89%) trailed women (91%).

Within Arkansas in 2023, the latest year for which county comparable data was available, the lowest rates were in Lincoln (77%) and Phillips (79%) counties and the highest in Sharp, Ashley and Fulton counties (all 97%).

Racial disparities in health insurance coverage rates emerge from systems that perpetuate structural racism. Lower rates of insurance coverage among Hispanic adults are directly tied to socio-economic characteristics like income, employment, citizenship and language. Research show that a propensity to work in jobs with no health insurance coverage is a reason why Hispanic adults have high insurance rates. Also, language barriers and immigration rules that prevent undocumented and recent immigrants from enrolling in public plans prevent Hispanics from getting insurance.

National data comes from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey designed to collect scientific data on health risks and behaviors.