The percentage of uninsured Americans has fallen to 16 percent so far in the first quarter of 2014, compared with 17.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Gallup's findings are based on more than 19,000 interviews conducted from Jan. 2 to Feb. 10. The percentage of uninsured 26- to 34-year-olds (the age group with the highest uninsured rate since 2011) has fallen to 25.7 percent, compared with 29.9 percent about a year ago.
Although the first quarter of the year isn't over yet, it looks like the uninsured rate is on track to reach its lowest quarterly level since 2008, according to Gallup. Furthermore, if the percentage of uninsured Americans continues to fall, it could suggest the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is responsible. However, for now, Gallup reports it remains unclear whether the decline is the result of the PPACA or other factors.
More Articles on the Uninsured Population:
Barriers to Primary Care Differ by Insurance Status
The Importance of Outreach: How Hospitals Can Help the Uninsured Get Coverage
3 Observations on the Uninsured and the PPACA