In 2019, it was estimated that roughly 5.1 million dependents fell under the 'family glitch', with over half being children. Most of the dependents still had health insurance through their family member's employer-sponsored insurance (ESI), although 451 thousand were uninsured. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace subsidies can be available for people whose ESI is deemed unaffordable - if the worker's contribution for self-coverage is more than 9.83 percent of their household income. This affordability threshold does not take into account family coverage, which is more costly and employers are not required to contribute towards. Therefore, family members of workers whose self-coverage ESI is deemed affordable are not eligible for financial assistance on the marketplace even if family coverage premiums far exceed 9.83 percent of their household income. These dependent family members fall under the 'family glitch'.
This statistic presents the number of dependents that fall in the 'family glitch' in the U.S. in 2019, by insurance coverage, income, gender, and age (in thousands).
Number of dependents that fall in the 'family glitch' in the U.S. in 2019, by insurance coverage, income, gender, and age
(in thousands)
Characteristic
Number of people under the Family Glitch in thousands
Dependents were considered as falling in the family glitch if a worker in the family had an employer offer of affordable self-only coverage but unaffordable family coverage.
*ESI = employer-sponsored insurance
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Kaiser Family Foundation. (April 7, 2021). Number of dependents that fall in the 'family glitch' in the U.S. in 2019, by insurance coverage, income, gender, and age (in thousands) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1278101/number-of-us-people-in-the-family-glitch-by-select-demographics/
Kaiser Family Foundation. "Number of dependents that fall in the 'family glitch' in the U.S. in 2019, by insurance coverage, income, gender, and age (in thousands)." Chart. April 7, 2021. Statista. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1278101/number-of-us-people-in-the-family-glitch-by-select-demographics/
Kaiser Family Foundation. (2021). Number of dependents that fall in the 'family glitch' in the U.S. in 2019, by insurance coverage, income, gender, and age (in thousands). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1278101/number-of-us-people-in-the-family-glitch-by-select-demographics/
Kaiser Family Foundation. "Number of Dependents That Fall in The 'family Glitch' in The U.S. in 2019, by Insurance Coverage, Income, Gender, and Age (in Thousands)." Statista, Statista Inc., 7 Apr 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1278101/number-of-us-people-in-the-family-glitch-by-select-demographics/
Kaiser Family Foundation, Number of dependents that fall in the 'family glitch' in the U.S. in 2019, by insurance coverage, income, gender, and age (in thousands) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1278101/number-of-us-people-in-the-family-glitch-by-select-demographics/ (last visited December 22, 2024)
Number of dependents that fall in the 'family glitch' in the U.S. in 2019, by insurance coverage, income, gender, and age (in thousands) [Graph], Kaiser Family Foundation, April 7, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1278101/number-of-us-people-in-the-family-glitch-by-select-demographics/
