New survey data: Uninsured rates continue to drop in most states

The number of people without health insurance continues to decline and has dropped by 15.8 million, or one-third, since 2013, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics. The report suggests that the Affordable Care Act produced the most significant gains in coverage among poor people and those with income just over the poverty level, which is $11,770 for an individual (“Number of Uninsured Has Declined by 15 Million Since 2013, Administration Says,” New York Times, August 12, 2015).

A separate study, issued this week by the Gallup organization, found that Texas was the only state where at least 20 percent of people were uninsured. By contrast, it said, in 2013, people without coverage accounted for at least 20 percent of the population in 14 states. Arkansas, California and Kentucky were among the states showing the largest reductions in the proportion of people without insurance.