The U.S. Census Bureau says about 12.9 percent of Florida’s population in 2017 lacked health insurance, up from 12.5 percent in 2016, which is higher than the national average of 8.8 percent. Florida has the fifth-highest rate of uninsured residents in the nation, exceeded by Texas, Oklahoma, Alaska and Georgia. About 45 percent of people with health insurance in Florida obtained it through their employers; Medicare and Medicaid, account for 21.7 percent and 18.6 percent of the insured population; and another 3 percent of Floridians obtained health insurance through the Veterans Administration. The remaining people obtained their insurance, by directly purchasing policies or through the Affordable Care Act.