U.S. Uninsured Rate Rises to 12.2%
By Admin | February 05, 2018
Between 2016 and 2017, the number of uninsured Americans rose by 3.2 million people, leaving 12.2 percent of the population without health insurance.
This is the largest increase of uninsured in over a decade, since Gallup began keeping track in 2008.
Contributing factors to the high rate of uninsured include:
- Media coverage about the repealing of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, confused consumers
- Health insurers pulling out of the market due to uncertainty, which lead to fewer and more expensive choices leaving many with no choice but to forgo insurance
- The ACA advertising budget being cut by 90% by the Trump administration
- The application period being half as long as it has been in the past
Those who are without insurance run the gamut, all demographics with the exception of people over 65, who qualify for Medicaid. Gallup, however, saw the biggest rise in uninsured among young adults, African Americans, Hispanics and low-income Americans.
For more, read “U.S. healthcare uninsured rises most in near decade: Gallup” by Reuters.
