The percentage of Americans without health insurance increased to 11.3 percent in the first quarter of this year, a slight change that may be partially attributed to the uncertainty surrounding the ACA, according to a recent Gallup report.
The results come from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index and are based on nearly 44,600 interviews with U.S. adults between Jan. 2 and March 31.
Here are five things to know.
1. The 11.3 percent uninsured rate is up slightly from the 10.9 percent recorded in the third and fourth quarters of 2016.
2. The current uninsured rate is still 6.7 percentage points below its highest point in the third quarter of 2013, the report states. The U.S. uninsured rate was 18 percent prior to the ACA exchanges opening in October 2013.
3. Since 2013, some of the largest decreases in uninsured rates occurred in young adults. Adults between the ages of 18 and 25 witnessed a decline of more than 7 percentage points to the group's uninsured rate, while those aged 26 to 34 saw almost a 10-point decrease.
4. The most significant change in coverage type since the ACA's individual mandate took effect has been among adults purchasing their own health insurance. The percentage of adults buying their own coverage increased from 17.6 percent in 2013 to 20.7 percent in the first quarter of 2017. Adults gaining coverage through Medicaid accounted for the second largest increase, from 6.9 percent in 2013 to 8.7 percent in the first quarter of this year.
5. Gallup concluded "it will be important to monitor the uninsured trends in the coming months as [proposed changes to the ACA] unfold. If coverage options and premiums do change, members of Congress from both parties may show a renewed urgency to address the healthcare issue."