STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Survey Finds Slight Decrease in Uninsured Rate

Health insurance rates haven't changed among young people though.

Here's promising news on the Affordable Care Act front: A new Gallup-Healthways Well-Being survey found a slight drop in the number of Americans without health insurance since major coverage expansion took effect.

The survey, which tallied the responses of more than 9,000 people, shows the uninsured rate for adults fell 1.2 percent in January, to 16.1 percent. That’s about 2 million to 3 million newly insured folks.

The largest declines—6.7 percent among unemployed people, followed by a 2.6 percent decrease among people of color—were seen in groups more likely to be uninsured than the population as a whole.

Other survey findings:

—There was a 1.9 percent drop among women and a 0.6 percent decrease among men.

—People making $36,000 to $89,999 had a 1.8 percent decline.

—There was little change in the uninsured rate among young adults ages 18 to 34.

Experts caution that these findings are early. It could take several months to determine if the decline is a long-term trend.

Read more about uninsured rates and Obamacare at BlackHealthMatters.Com.

BET Health News - We go beyond the music and entertainment world to bring you important medical information and health-related tips of special relevance to Blacks in the U.S. and around the world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. 

 (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo, File)

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.