The New York Times (1/23, Sanger-Katz) reports that the number of uninsured Americans “plunged” after the ACA took effect, but that figure “inched up throughout last year,” according to a new Gallup poll. Data indicate “the uninsured rate for adults increased by 1.3 percentage points,” which means there was “an increase of more than three million people without insurance between the first quarter of 2018 and the end of the year.” According to Gallup, “this was a four-year high, although a major methodology change a year ago may make such longer-term comparisons less precise.” The article says this “trend matches other data suggesting that health coverage has been eroding under the policies of the Trump administration.”
The Wall Street Journal (1/23, Armour, Subscription Publication) reports that data show the number of uninsured adults rose to 13.7 percent during the fourth quarter of last year, from 12.4 percent in 2017, and 10.9 percent in 2016. That means there were some seven million more uninsured Americans during the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2016. The Journal says this trend provides more fodder for Democrats who contend the Trump Administration is sabotaging the ACA, and Republicans who argue that high ACA premiums are responsible for the increased loss of coverage.
Related Links:
— “After Falling Under Obama, America’s Uninsured Rate Looks to Be Rising, ” Margot Sanger-Katz, The New York Times, January 23, 2019