16 percent of Americans without health insurance

Jul 22 2009

According to a Gallup-Healthways Well-Being poll released today, 16 percent of Americans - one of six adults - are uninsured, according to Gallup.

"The June 2009 data encompass more than 29,000 daily tracking interviews of Americans aged 18 and older. Trend data show a small but measurable uptick in the percentage of uninsured adults over the last year and a half. The percentage uninsured averaged 14.8% among the approximately 350,000 adults interviewed in 2008, and rose to 16.2% among the 178,000 adults interviewed in the first six months of this year" (Newport and Mendes, 7/22).

UPI: "The pollster said in a written statement that U.S. government estimates of 46 million Americans currently uninsured, about 15.3 percent of all Americans, including children, is based on Census data from 2007. Gallup said its poll concluded that the rate of uninsured among whites is 11.6 percent compared to 19.9 percent for African-Americans and a whopping 41.5 percent for Hispanics. Of people earning less than $36,000 per year, 28.6 percent have no health insurance. The age group most likely to be uninsured is 18-29 at 27.6 percent" (7/22).

Meanwhile, another poll released today indicates that says even more Americans are now opposed to the reform try in Congress, according to RasmussenReports.com/Yahoo News.

"The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey (of 1,000 likely voters) shows that 44% of U.S. voters are at least somewhat in favor of the reform effort while 53% are at least somewhat opposed." That's down from 46 percent support two weeks ago and up from 50 percent opposition in late June.

"There is a huge partisan divide on the health care plan. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Democrats favor it. However, the plan is opposed by 80% of Republicans and 60% of those not affiliated with either major party. Most voters who earn less than $40,000 annually favor the legislation. Most who earn more than that amount are opposed. … The survey question did not in any way describe the plan as it stands to date. It was simply presented as "the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. But public opinion could shift in either direction as details of the plan become clearer and if agreement is reached."

A majority still think it will pass, however: "Despite the declining support for the plan proposed by the president and congressional Democrats, 51% of voters say it's at least somewhat likely that it will be passed this year. That figure includes 17% who say it's very likely to pass" (7/22).