The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released data on the characteristics of uninsured men, notably within the Latino and African American communities. The report, using data from the 2012 American Community Survey and taking into account economic and social factors, such as education and poverty, revealed Latino and African American millennials are more likely to be uninsured.

The Office of Minority Health revealed 28 percent of adult males between 19 and 24 years old are uninsured. Of the 19- to 24-year-old demographic, Latinos represented 43 percent of the uninsured men, ahead African Americans' 38 percent. Men between 25 and 34 years old represented 29 percent of the uninsured, which Latinos also topped with 42 percent ahead of 41 percent for African Americans.

The report highlighted developments that may explain the low figures for uninsured minority men. More than 70 percent of uninsured African Americans and whites received a high school diploma, but the statistic drops for Asian and Latinos, down to 60 percent. Six percent of uninsured African Americans and Latinos had a college degree.

Despite the lowered rate of having an academic diploma, uninsured male Latinos, at 81 percent, reported having a full-time worker in the household. The report, however, did not specify if the full-time worker included the uninsured male Latinos. Within the Latino household, 24 percent of Latinos stated they live in a "limited English proficient" household, which is 4 percentage points lower compared to Asian households.

Fewer of the Latinos are diabled compared to whites and African-Americans. Six percent of uninsured Latinos and 5 percent of uninsured Asians are disabled, while whites and African Americans entered double digits, 12 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

The Department of Health and Human Services published the report to improve their rollout of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to uninsured males regardless of ethnicity.

"This type of data and knowledge about uninsured minority males can help inform targeted interventions and outreach efforts to improve enrollment opportunities for minority men in health insurance coverage, including the open enrollment periods for the Health Insurance Marketplace," the department said.

According to the Office of Minority Health, the U.S. has made improvements in public health and health care, adding, "The health status of racial and ethnic minority men still lags behind the general population. Increasing insurance coverage of minority males is critical to their ability to access health care systems, reduce preventable illnesses and improve their health outcomes."

As Latin Post reported, the Obama administration confirmed more than eight million people signed up for the ACA. The HHS received a lower than expected number of applicants that reported their race or ethnicity as "Latino," representing 10.7 percent of individuals enrolled. In comparison to Whites, they represented the largest proportion with 62.9 percent.

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