Like the United States and Texas, the percentage of El Pasoans without health care has been on the rise for the past two years, Census Bureau data indicates.

The rate of uninsured El Pasoans had declined for three years years after Obamacare took full effect in 2014, falling from 28.4 percent uninsured in 2013 to 19.4 percent in 2016, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

But El Paso’s uninsured rate crept up the following two years, reaching 22.1 percent in 2018, according to new data released in September.
Texas’ uninsured rate also has risen the past two years and was at 17.7 percent in 2018. The nationwide rate last year was 8.9 percent. Texas is one of 14 states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid, as allowed under Obamacare.