Between 2010 and 2016, the number of U.S. women without health insurance dropped nearly in half from 19 million to 11 million—or 20% to 11% of the population—according to a recent analysis of Commonwealth Fund’s Biennial Health Insurance Surveys. The surveys also show that women ages 19 to 64 who shopped for new coverage on their own found it significantly easier to find affordable plans in 2016 compared to 2010.
The findings are particularly significant because, compared with men, women on average have more interaction with the health care system over their lifetimes. In addition to having relatively greater health care needs during their reproductive years, women also often serve as family caregivers and play a central role in coordinating the health care needs of multiple generations of family members, including children, spouses, and aging parents.
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