# Uninsured rate drops to lowest number since Obama took office **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 10, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385 "2014-03-10T21:24:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/21 "2014-03-12T18:51:49Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > My direct personal experience as an ACA insured person is this: what you are saying is bullshit. Purest, arrant bullshit. You’re taking a worst-case scenario, pumping up the numbers and working it as hard as you can to make ACA look bad. Without insurance, a single visit to see my primary-care doctor was a budget-crushing $140.00. Now it’s an affordable copay of $35. This makes an enormous difference in my ability to see a doctor. Medicines that were prescribed to me were affordable without the health insurance, because I mostly take cheap generics. Now they’re very affordable. In my wife’s case, though, medicine for her migraine headaches was NOT affordable, now it is. It makes a HUGE difference to her quality of life. > > You have NO CONCEPT of what you are talking about. NONE. You are spreading ignorance. Cut it out. You’re hurting people with your mistruths. Why would I do that? I’m a Democrat. I voted for Obama, twice. I’m not just saying this because it’s the Republican agenda. I’m saying this because my health care options are now significantly WORSE than they were before. Five years ago I could decide whether to fork out $$ for health insurance or $$ for something else–say, my tennis club and pedicures every three weeks. Now I can’t decide that. I have to fork out the $$ for health insurance. How come your experience is so much better than mine? What’s your secret? I think what we’ve got here is some kind of a classic thing. The insurance I had before was better for me, the insurance I have now is worse. Your situation is the opposite. But my situation is much more important to me than yours, sorry. The fact that I place my interests before yours does not make me ignorant. Mistruths? No. See the thing is, with my old insurance a single visit to see my primary care doctor was an affordable co-pay of $25, and now it is a budget-crushing $180. Actual figures. The exact opposite of your situation. The result is, the next time I see a doctor it will be when I’m old enough for Medicare. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/22 "2014-03-13T02:08:20Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Without insurance, a single visit to see my primary-care doctor was a budget-crushing $140.00. Now it’s an affordable copay of $35. I genuinely can’t tell whether that’s relevant until you add the cost of the insurance. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/23 "2014-03-13T02:25:25Z")
yeah because the tyrant is forcing people to buy insurance if you started fining people for not owning a dog I bet the dogless rate would drop too ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/24 "2014-03-13T03:04:57Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I genuinely can’t tell whether that’s relevant until you add the cost of the insurance. Prior to Obamacare, insurance on the private market for my wife and I ran to $1300 a month. We could not afford it. Now it is almost exactly 1/10th that sum (a little less, in fact) … quite affordable for insurance that is equivalent and maybe a little better than what we had. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/25 "2014-03-13T03:06:36Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Why would I do that? I’m a Democrat. I voted for Obama, twice. I’m not just saying this because it’s the Republican agenda. I’m saying this because my health care options are now significantly WORSE than they were before. > > Five years ago I could decide whether to fork out $$ for health insurance or $$ for something else–say, my tennis club and pedicures every three weeks. Now I can’t decide that. I have to fork out the $$ for health insurance. > > How come your experience is so much better than mine? What’s your secret? > > I think what we’ve got here is some kind of a classic thing. The insurance I had before was better for me, the insurance I have now is worse. Your situation is the opposite. But my situation is much more important to me than yours, sorry. The fact that I place my interests before yours does not make me ignorant. > > Mistruths? No. > > See the thing is, with my old insurance a single visit to see my primary care doctor was an affordable co-pay of $25, and now it is a budget-crushing $180. Actual figures. The exact opposite of your situation. The result is, the next time I see a doctor it will be when I’m old enough for Medicare. Well I’m sorry you are taking a hit for my sake … but I don’t want to take a hit for yours. Are you sure you’re doing Obamacare right? In any event, don’t imagine that your experience is universal. it is not. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/26 "2014-03-13T03:23:17Z")
And neither is yours. Some people benefit, some people have been hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/27 "2014-03-13T03:26:35Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > So you do not believe access has increased? Okay. I agree with you. Well, let’s see. [Number of uninsured when Obama became president: 15.4M. Number of uninsured today: 15.9M.](http://cloudfront-media.reason.com/mc/psuderman/2014_03/GALLUP-MARCH2013.png?h=476&w=540) All hail Obamacare! ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/28 "2014-03-13T03:27:41Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Prior to Obamacare, insurance on the private market for my wife and I ran to $1300 a month. We could not afford it. Now it is almost exactly 1/10th that sum (a little less, in fact) … quite affordable for insurance that is equivalent and maybe a little better than what we had. Wrong. The insurance on the private market is still $1300 a month. But now you’re getting a government handout. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/29 "2014-03-13T03:31:53Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Prior to Obamacare, insurance on the private market for my wife and I ran to $1300 a month. We could not afford it. Now it is almost exactly 1/10th that sum (a little less, in fact) … quite affordable for insurance that is equivalent and maybe a little better than what we had. So you used to pay “a budget-crushing $140” to see your doctor, and paid nothing for insurance, but now you pay roughly $130 a month to pay $35 to see your doctor? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/30 "2014-03-13T03:44:22Z")
Plus he’s paying the subsidy out of his taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/31 "2014-03-13T04:16:18Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Well I’m sorry you are taking a hit for my sake … but I don’t want to take a hit for yours. Are you sure you’re doing Obamacare right? In any event, don’t imagine that your experience is universal. it is not. Really. I give up posh pedicures\* so you can have affordable health care, and you come on this message board and accuse me of being an ignorant liar. \*Cheaper place, not as often ---
**Author:** ![Joools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6de8d8/32.png) [@Joools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joools)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/32 "2014-03-13T04:24:10Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Well, let’s see. [Number of uninsured when Obama became president: 15.4M. Number of uninsured today: 15.9M.](http://cloudfront-media.reason.com/mc/psuderman/2014_03/GALLUP-MARCH2013.png?h=476&w=540) All hail Obamacare! US population increase since January 2009: 7MM. Number uninsured when ACA passed: 16.4MM. Number uninsured when the exchanges opened: 18.0MM. Math! ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/33 "2014-03-13T05:28:58Z")
You’re both wrong. Gallup is measuring percentages, not millions. There are actually about 48 million uninsured right now. With less than a month to go in the enrollment period. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/34 "2014-03-13T09:07:37Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Well, let’s see. [Number of uninsured when Obama became president: 15.4M. Number of uninsured today: 15.9M.](http://cloudfront-media.reason.com/mc/psuderman/2014_03/GALLUP-MARCH2013.png?h=476&w=540) All hail Obamacare! WRONG. Obama didn’t take office until the number of uninsured was over 16 million. Thus the thread title – the uninsured rate really has dropped to the lowest number since Obama took office. All hail the ACA 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/35 "2014-03-13T10:38:56Z")
It’s fair to say that ACA has gotten more people covered than otherwise would have been. It’s also fair to say that ACA is falling far short of expectations and incredibly short of the promises made to sell it. It’s not universal health care. It’s basically SCHIP for adults. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/36 "2014-03-13T11:03:36Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It’s also fair to say that ACA is falling far short of expectations and incredibly short of the promises made to sell it. It’s not fair to say this, unless you just mean “at this moment, the ACA has not accomplished all of its goals”. This is the infancy of the implementation of the ACA, and right now the trend is in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/37 "2014-03-13T11:09:27Z")
Leaving 40 million uninsured after the first enrollment period doesn’t strike me as particularly successful by any metric, even accounting for it being only the first year and all. The law is designed so that every single citizen and legal immigrant gets health insurance or pays a penalty. What changes in year two that would make the 40 million uninsured enroll when they didn’t feel like doing it this time? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/38 "2014-03-13T11:28:08Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Leaving 40 million uninsured after the first enrollment period doesn’t strike me as particularly successful by any metric, even accounting for it being only the first year and all. The law is designed so that every single citizen and legal immigrant gets health insurance or pays a penalty. > > What changes in year two that would make the 40 million uninsured enroll when they didn’t feel like doing it this time? The percentage of uninsured is going down, and fast. If it continues to go down, year after year, by a significant amount, then the law is a success. You’re just defining failure in a way to ensure the law meets the definition. It’s ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/39 "2014-03-13T11:29:14Z")
You’ll notice I’m not calling it a success (yet). It’s far from perfect. But your analysis is just fantasy-world stuff from Fox News, who will call it a failure no matter what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/40 "2014-03-13T11:33:27Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Wrong. The insurance on the private market is still $1300 a month. But now you’re getting a government handout. Aaaaaaaaand loving it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385.md?page=3)