A new survey just released by Gallup-Healthways today found that nearly 90 percent of American adults have health insurance, which is largely attributed to the Affordable Care Act. The percentage of insured Americans is the highest since the organizations began tracking the data in 2008.
“An improving economy and a falling unemployment rate may also have accelerated the steep drop in the percentage of uninsured over the past year,” the study noted.
Among Black Americans, the percentage of uninsured adults has dropped 7 percent—from 20.9 to 13.6 percent—nearly three percentage points more than among White adults. Twenty percent of adults between the ages of 26 and 34 are uninsured—7 percent less than in 2013—and 22 percent of adults who earn less than $36,000 now have health insurance compared with 30.7 percent two years ago.
“The uninsured rate could drop further in the months ahead since the Obama administration established a special enrollment period for March 15 through April 30, aimed at signing up those who realize, while paying their taxes, that they must pay a fine for not obtaining healthcare coverage in 2014,” the study says.