10 Million Newly Insured Because Of Health Law, Study Says

Preface: From time to time, I reprint ,with their permission, material from Kaiser Health News. Their lead story is today is that the Affordable Care Act reduced the rate of uninsured by 5.2% from October 13, 2013, the date of healthcare.gov launch to June 2014. The full text of the article is available in July 24, NEJM.org.

The study, done by Harvard researchers and published by the New England Journal of Medicine, was based on Gallup polling and data from the Department of Health and Human Services. It also estimated that the uninsured rate declined by 5.2 percentage points in the second quarter of 2014.

In their conclusion to their NEJM piece, its six authors carefully hedge their bet on the future of ObamaCare and the significance of their data: “These observations are merely observational. We can only identify suggestive associations between the ACA, the declining insurance rate, and access to care.”

The Associated Press: Study: 10M Have Gained Coverage Through Health Law

A new study estimates that more than 10 million adults gained health insurance by midyear as the coverage expansion under President Barack Obama’s law took hold in much of the country. The study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the share of Americans ages 18 to 64 without insurance dropped by a little more than 5 percentage points

Politico: New England Journal Of Medicine Report: 10 Million Newly Insured

The Obama administration is touting yet another study showing that the Affordable Care Act has expanded health insurance to millions of Americans — this one published in the New England Journal of Medicine and estimating that 10 million have gained coverage under the law. Using Gallup polling and HHS data, Harvard researchers estimate that the uninsured rate declined by 5.2 percentage points in the second quarter of this year, corresponding to 10.3 million adults gaining coverage — although that could range from 7.3 to 17.2 million depending on how the data are interpreted. At least one researcher also has an HHS affiliation (Winfield Cunningham, 7/23).

Modern Healthcare: 10.3 Million Gained Insurance Under Obamacare

About 10.3 million Americans have gained insurance coverage since the full implementation of Obamacare last year, according to an analysis published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The uninsured rated dropped to 16.3% at the end of April from 21% before the initial open enrollment period for plans on the new insurance exchanges. The decreases were most pronounced among low-to-middle income households in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility to residents with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level .

The Hill: Study Finds 10.3M Gained Insurance Through Health Law

The study conducted by researchers from the Department of Health and Human Services and Harvard University found the the number of uninsured has fallen from 21 percent in September 2013 to 16.3 percent in April 2014. In particular, it found jumps in the insurance rates for Hispanics, blacks and young adults.

Reuters: Over 10 Million U.S. Adults Gain Coverage Under Obamacare

The study, which appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, also found evidence that more Americans had a personal doctor and fewer difficulties paying for medical care within the first six months of gaining insurance (Morgan, 7/23).