Uninsured rate continues to fall . . . now at 11.4%

There's more evidence of success for President Obama's signature legislative initiative, the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare).    A new Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index poll found that the rate of uninsured Americans is now down to 11.4%.

It's even more dramatic as seen on this graph, which compares the uninsureds at the end of the first quarter each year since 2008 when the tracking polls began.  The sharp decline coincides with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.


The decrease held true across demographic subgroups, broken down by age, ethnicity, and income.   Only the over-65 age group remained relatively unchanged -- obviously because they have been eligible for Medicare since well before 2008.   This fact in itself is further evidence that the decline is likely due to availability and the affordability made possible by the ACA.

Each new data point that shows the effectiveness of the ACA solidifies proof that Republicans' opposition to Obamacare is ideological, not practical.    And they have no detailed plan, much less results, to offer as an effective substitute.

The Congressman who represents my district, Tom Price, himself a physician and married to another physician, touts his own plan.    Yet, as a letter writer in Saturday's AJC pointed out, Price's own party has not endorsed his plan, it has had no hearings, nor even any committee discussion.    Apparently, even the Republicans do not like it.

What terrifies Republicans is that, sooner or later, the lies they have sold to the American people about "Obamacare" are beginning to fade -- and before long the ACA will become another "untouchable," along with Social Security and Medicare.

In fact, one has to wonder:   What would the uninsured rate be right now if those 34 states that refused to expand Medicaid did so?    It's my guess that this group would account for a good part of the remaining 11.4% of uninsureds.   States that have not accepted Medicaid expansion are almost all under the control of Republicans.   Their motivation has to be purely ideological, despite their lame excuses of "not able to afford" a deal that is paid for almost entirely by federal funds.

How can people keep voting to re-elects representatives who have so little regard for their health and well-being, to say nothing of the economic boon Medicaid expansion proves to be to states in new jobs, hospital investments, etc.?    "Can't afford it" -- indeed !?!?    They can't afford not to do it.

Ralph