The latest survey by Gallup has found that the number of American adults without health insurance has increased almost 3.5 million this year.
The results of the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index were published last week. Gallup conducted the study by asking a random sample of 500 people each day whether they have health insurance or otherwise.
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Gallup believes the increase in uninsured is driven by rising premiums and political turmoil over the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
According to the survey, the uninsured rate among adults was 12.3% during the period from July 1 to September 30 – representing an increase of 1.4 percentage points since the end of last year. The increase is notable, since it occurred during a period of economic growth and low unemployment.
“The number of uninsured Americans likely will continue to rise,” Gallup warned, unless President Trump and Congress make efforts to stabilize the insurance markets.
Additionally, the survey also noted the uninsured rate increased among all major demographic groups. The 35-64 age group saw the biggest increase in uninsured rates, experiencing a 1.8 percentage point increase since the end of 2016. Similarly, households with an annual income less than $36,000 saw their uninsured rate rise by 1.7 percentage points.
Experts who reviewed the study said the findings corroborate other available evidence.
“The results make sense and they track with the results of other rapid surveys,” Urban Institute health policy center senior research analyst Matthew Buettgens told The Associated Press. “No-one is expecting this open-enrollment period to increase enrollment.”
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