Obamacare Is Working: Nation’s Uninsured Rate Hits Lowest Point Since 2008

Gallup found that the uninsured rate dropped 1.5% from the last quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of 2014. The ACA is working as the percentage of uninsured Americans has hit it’s lowest point since 2008.

According to Gallup the percentage of Americans who lack health insurance has fallen from 18% in the third quarter of 2013 to 15.6% in the first quarter of 2014. What happened over that period of time was the ACA sign up period. The uninsured rate dropped across all age groups and fell the most for lower income Americans (3.2% decline) and Blacks (3.3%) decline. Hispanics and people who earn less that $36,000 a year are the still the groups most likely to need health insurance.

Here’s the chart from Gallup:

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It is becoming increasing difficult for Republicans to deny the success of the ACA. The drop since the end of 2008 is important because it means that many Americans who lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs due to the Great Recession are getting covered.

The Republican refusal to deal with reality on healthcare has led to the development of a sort of Benghazi Tourette Syndrome, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) being patient zero.

The ACA is working, and the Republicans are losing the issue that they bet everything on in 2014.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association