Data out last week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey show the number of uninsured Americans fell by nearly 20 million between 2010, when the Affordable Care Act was passed, and January–September 2015. While rates of both private and public health insurance coverage rose, the percentage of privately insured adults ages 18 to 65 had climbed to 70 percent—the highest level since 2005. And this new coverage appears to be working as intended: fewer people said that they skipped needed care because of its cost.
In a blog post, Sara Collins and David Blumenthal, M.D., review the findings, which mirror those seen in Commonwealth Fund and other surveys.