Across the country, 29.8 million people would lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act were repealed—more than doubling the number of people without health insurance. And 1.2 million jobs would be lost—not just in health care but across the board.

Losing health insurance

How many people would lose their health insurance if the ACA were repealed? State Percent increase in uninsured population Number of people who would lose health insurance Alaska 53% 62000 Arizona 95% 709000 Arkansas 171% 361000 California 146% 4887000 Colorado 134% 588000 Connecticut 124% 248000 Delaware 86% 52000 Washington D.C. 103% 32000 Hawaii 99% 86000 Illinois 128% 1150000 Indiana 103% 566000 Iowa 150% 230000 Kentucky 200% 486000 Louisiana 154% 558000 Maryland 123% 476000 Massachusetts 273% 369000 Michigan 175% 887000 Minnesota 123% 380000 Montana 168% 142000 Nevada 95% 371000 New Hampshire 190% 118000 New Jersey 124% 799000 New Mexico 136% 266000 New York 75% 1139000 North Dakota 154% 69000 Ohio 155% 964000 Oregon 186% 475000 Pennsylvania 134% 956000 Rhode Island 170% 96000 Vermont 129% 35000 Washington 153% 775000 West Virginia 208% 184000 Alabama 74% 357000 Florida 90% 2230000 Georgia 71% 1006000 Idaho 101% 184000 Kansas 76% 219000 Maine 122% 95000 Mississippi 65% 229000 Missouri 93% 504000 Nebraska 111% 165000 North Carolina 90% 1025000 Oklahoma 59% 313000 South Carolina 58% 353000 South Dakota 92% 74000 Tennessee 79% 526000 Texas 58% 2550000 Utah 83% 273000 Virginia 79% 685000 Wisconsin 144% 431000 Wyoming 76% 47000

Map is colored to illustrate relative impact by showing the percent increase in the number of uninsured.

Losing jobs

Losing health insurance would also be devastating for family finances and hurt the economy. By helping pick up the tab for individual insurance and expanding coverage on Medicaid, the ACA has helped millions of Americans afford their care. If this support were withdrawn, people would have less money to spend on other basic necessities like food and rent. Fewer dollars spent at grocery stores and other businesses means 1.2 million jobs would be lost.

How many jobs would be lost if the ACA were repealed? State Drop in overall state employment Number of jobs lost Jobs lost per 1,000 jobs in the state Billions of federal health care dollars lost Alabama 0.58% 11,459 5.8 1.349 Alaska 0.81% 2,702 8.1 0.278 Arizona 1.55% 41,982 15.5 3.447 Arkansas 0.79% 9,737 7.9 0.823 California 0.85% 141,676 8.5 13.588 Colorado 1.34% 35,217 13.4 2.731 Connecticut 0.76% 12,836 7.6 1.257 Delaware 0.76% 3,497 7.6 0.303 Washington D.C. 0.19% 1,466 1.9 0.146 Florida 0.76% 64,629 7.6 7.63 Georgia 0.57% 25,090 5.7 2.764 Hawaii 0.66% 4,299 6.6 0.354 Idaho 0.76% 5,310 7.6 0.54 Illinois 0.78% 47,060 7.8 4.197 Indiana 0.59% 18,111 5.9 1.609 Iowa 0.43% 6,753 4.3 0.626 Kansas 0.30% 4,148 3 0.532 Kentucky 2.92% 55,949 29.2 4.093 Louisiana 1.42% 28,063 14.2 2.226 Maine 0.56% 3,435 5.6 0.429 Maryland 1.01% 27,398 10.1 2.293 Massachusetts 0.55% 19,640 5.5 1.904 Michigan 0.89% 38,720 8.9 3.264 Minnesota 0.55% 15,806 5.5 1.358 Mississippi 0.67% 7,684 6.7 0.788 Missouri 0.50% 14,077 5 1.616 Montana 2.27% 10,599 22.7 0.807 Nebraska 0.27% 2,788 2.7 0.409 Nevada 1.25% 16,332 12.5 1.34 New Hampshire 0.71% 4,801 7.1 0.415 New Jersey 1.51% 61,544 15.1 4.97 New Mexico 3.86% 31,853 38.6 2.294 New York 0.56% 52,203 5.6 4.857 North Carolina 1.12% 48,925 11.2 5.056 North Dakota 0.56% 2,460 5.6 0.223 Ohio 0.91% 50,343 9.1 4.033 Oklahoma 0.38% 6,354 3.8 0.823 Oregon 2.28% 42,348 22.8 3.173 Pennsylvania 0.53% 31,387 5.3 3.078 Rhode Island 1.63% 8,036 16.3 0.616 South Carolina 0.37% 7,693 3.7 1.039 South Dakota 0.19% 825 1.9 0.126 Tennessee 0.80% 23,877 8 2.226 Texas 0.33% 40,550 3.3 5.366 Utah 0.22% 3,104 2.2 0.404 Vermont 0.95% 2,991 9.5 0.263 Virginia 0.26% 10,243 2.6 1.578 Washington 1.36% 44,654 13.6 3.525 West Virginia 2.00% 15,412 20 1.175 Wisconsin 0.28% 8,290 2.8 1.133 Wyoming 0.42% 1,168 4.2 0.162

Map is colored to illustrate relative impact by showing job loss as a share of total state employment.

Source: Spending cut and coverage loss numbers are from Linda Blumberg, Matthew Buettgens, and John Holahan, Implications of Partial Repeal of the ACA through Reconciliation, Urban Institute, 2016. The job loss analysis is from Josh Bivens, Repealing the Affordable Health Care Act would cost jobs in every state, Economic Policy Institute, 2017.

Economic Policy Institute