Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First Full Year Of Health Law Brought Sharpest Drop In Uninsured Rate
An annual survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded the sharpest drop in uninsured adults in 2014 since the survey began in 1997. The uninsured rate among adults under 65 dropped from 20.4 percent in 2013 to 16.3 percent in 2014. The uninsured rate among adults 19-25, especially, saw progress from 31.3 percent uninsured to 26.9 percent in 2014. The growing prevalence of insurance reflects the start of Obamacare’s expanded coverage in January 2014. In states that accepted Medicaid expansion with Obamacare, the percentage of insured adults dropped from 18.4 to 13.3 percent — 2 percentage points more than the drop in states that refused the expansion. (Groden, 6/23)
The uninsured rate in the US declined by nearly one-fifth with the Affordable Care Act implemented for a full year, according to data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC's National Health Interview Survey, considered the most reliable government estimate of the country's uninsured population, found the uninsured rate for adults under the age of 65 dipped from 20.4% in 2013 to 16.3% in 2014. Americans could start buying insurance through marketplaces set up by the Affordable Care Act beginning in October 2013. (Logiurato, 6/23)
The number of people lacking health insurance in Texas remains stubbornly high more than a year after the Affordable Care Act took effect and Texas continues to lead the nation in the rate of uninsured residents, according to a federal study released Tuesday. The National Health Interview Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the rate of uninsured Texans ages 18 to 64 fell 2.7 percentage points to 25.7 percent between 2013 and 2014. Nationally, the percentage of uninsured Americans dropped 4.1 percentage points to 16.3 percent over the same period. (Eaton, 6/23)
Meanwhile, in the news from the insurance industry -
UnitedHealth Group Inc. is leaving the health insurance industry’s largest trade group this month, saying the company’s interests were no longer being best represented. UnitedHealth, the largest U.S. health insurer, will sever its relationship with America’s Health Insurance Plans, a national association with almost 1,300 member companies, according to a statement from the company. (Amour, 6/23)
