Census Bureau Proposes Eliminating Race and Ethnicity Data Collection

In September 2026, the Census Bureau issued a proposed rule that would prohibit the collection of race and ethnicity data in the decennial census and exclude many noncitizen immigrants from the apportionment count. The changes would affect how Medicaid programs identify disparities in access, quality, and outcomes for beneficiaries. If finalized, the rule would limit state Medicaid agencies' and managed care organizations' ability to stratify performance data, target interventions, and comply with federal health equity reporting requirements that rely on census-based demographic benchmarks. The proposed changes matter because Medicaid programs use census race and ethnicity data to establish stratified quality measures, identify underserved populations for outreach and enrollment, and allocate resources for programs addressing maternal health, behavioral health, and chronic disease disparities.

Managed Care · Maternal · Behavioral Health