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The uninsured rate for Americans has tumbled dramatically over the past few years in the wake of Obamacare and expanded Medicaid coverage. Only 11 percent of adults and children are still without healthcare coverage, according to a new survey by Gallup and Healthways. Gallup said on Thursday that the rate of uninsured is at the lowest level in eight years, especially among African-Americans and Hispanics. ... the latest figures for the first three months of 2016 are remarkable, according to Gallup: The 11 percent rate of uninsured Americans who aren’t old enough to qualify for Medicare is down nine-tenths of a percentage point from the fourth quarter of 2015 overall and by a much larger margin for minority groups that have long gone without health insurance coverage. (Pianin, 4/7)

In a move called both symbolic and practical, the Covered California board took the first step Thursday toward allowing undocumented residents to purchase health plans – with no state or federal subsidies – through California’s Obamacare marketplace. The board can’t officially enact that change, which requires state legislation and federal permission, but Covered California officials indicated they were ready to lend support if California lawmakers ask them to. (Buck, 4/7)

Moving into a realm usually reserved for health care regulators, Covered California Thursday unveiled sweeping reforms to its contracts with insurers, seeking to improve the quality of care, curb its cost and increase transparency for consumers. Among the biggest changes: Health plans will be required to dock hospitals at least 6 percent of their payments if they do not meet certain quality standards, or give them bonuses of an equal amount if they exceed the standards. (Ana B. Ibarra and David Gorn, 4/8)