The uninsured rate has consistently declined since it peaked at 18 percent in the third quarter of 2013, according to Gallup. In April, the percentage of Americans who were uninsured dropped for nearly every key demographic group. The uninsured rate for people in low-income households (those earning less than $36,000 annually) saw a 5.5 percentage point drop to 25.2 percent, and 18- to 25-year-olds experienced a 4.5 percentage point drop to 19 percent.
The drop in the uninsured population in April reflects the surge in health insurance sign-ups as the first open enrollment period for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act drew to a close, according to Gallup. Last week, HHS released data showing a total of just over 8 million people enrolled in health plans under the PPACA during the 2014 sign-up period.
Going forward, the uninsured rate could decline more, go up or level off depending on several factors, such as more states choosing to expand Medicaid and people losing their PPACA plans because they don’t make the first premium payment, according to Gallup.
More Articles on the Uninsured:
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Poll: Medicaid Expansion, State Exchanges Yield Bigger Uninsured Rate Reductions
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