About 5 percent of non-elderly veterans — about 400,000 individuals — are projected to be uninsured in 2024, according to a new Urban Institute report. More than half, or 52.3 percent, of uninsured veterans live in states that haven’t opted to expand Medicaid. “Many people believe that uninsurance is not a problem for veterans due to the Veterans Health Administration within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),” the report stated. “While the VA is an important source of coverage for veterans, eligibility is restricted to certain priority groups, such as those who have service-connected disabilities or who have low incomes. Further, even for those who are eligible, not being enrolled or being too far from VA facilities and clinics can make use of their services infeasible.” The recently published analysis was conducted with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on health equity. The Urban Institute is a research organization focused on economic and social policy. The researchers relied on a microsimulation model of the health care system for the report, as well as the 2021 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Among other findings, the report states:

Overall, almost half (47%) of nonelderly uninsured veterans will be eligible for Medicaid or subsidies through the ACA Marketplace in 2024. “Since the VA does not cover all veterans, other sources of subsidized coverage, including Medicaid and Marketplace plans, play an important role in providing coverage to veterans,” the researchers said. Policy changes to increase enrollment among veterans who are eligible for Medicaid or Marketplace coverage are needed, as well as changes to remove the coverage gap, the researchers added. There’s a major need to increase coverage for the uninsured veteran population, the report also showed. In 2021, about four in five uninsured veterans had incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level.

Access the full Urban Institute report here.