# 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:** 4
**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, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/61 "2014-03-13T17:44:28Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > By 0.1%. Yay. Spend hundreds of billions of dollars, create a great upheaval in one of the biggest industries in the US, greatly increase taxes, cancel policies of millions of people, all for the sake of 0.1% decrease in uninsured. Something to boast about, definitely. Most of that’s not true, but I’ll take it as an admission of wrongness 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/62 "2014-03-13T17:45:40Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > By 0.1%. Yay. Spend hundreds of billions of dollars, create a great upheaval in one of the biggest industries in the US, greatly increase taxes, cancel policies of millions of people, all for the sake of 0.1% decrease in uninsured. Something to boast about, definitely. So you’re shown to be wrong and you find something else to complain about? You also forgot to mention that the people with canceled policies have access to replacement policies. And that the tax increases are minimal. And that it lowers the deficit. And the removal of pre-existing conditions and lifetime caps. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/63 "2014-03-13T17:54:06Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > By 0.1%. Yay. Spend hundreds of billions of dollars, create a great upheaval in one of the biggest industries in the US, greatly increase taxes, cancel policies of millions of people, all for the sake of 0.1% decrease in uninsured. Something to boast about, definitely. How has it spent hundreds of billions of dollars? How has it greatly increased taxes? I believe you misspelled “upgrade” as “cancel”. And you realize that the 0.1% decrease is but a first step, no? ---
**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, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/64 "2014-03-13T18:22:15Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Moochers love mooching. No surprise. Well, to be honest, the IDEA of Obamacare was to make everyone get health insurance and, you know, spread the risk. Like in any other form of insurance. Are the bad drivers who keep my insurance premiums high (I’m a very good driver) mooching off me? I guess. But no one ever seems to get exercised about that. Perhaps we should! Those damn moochers! ---
**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, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/65 "2014-03-13T18:24:59Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Well, to be honest, the IDEA of Obamacare was to make everyone get health insurance and, you know, spread the risk. Of course. Getting thousands of dollars in handouts from the government is “spreading the risk”. ---
**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, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/66 "2014-03-13T18:33:15Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Of course. Getting thousands of dollars in handouts from the government is “spreading the risk”. Well I’m all for giving up my “advantage” and going to a universal payer scheme where EVERYONE gets health insurance for free … but I bet you would object to that. ---
**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, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/67 "2014-03-13T18:59:09Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Well I’m all for giving up my “advantage” and going to a universal payer scheme where EVERYONE gets health insurance for free … but I bet you would object to that. Why so defensive? Thought you were proud of mooching. ---
**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, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/68 "2014-03-13T19:00:47Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Why so defensive? Thought you were proud of mooching. I’d prefer a more equitable system. I notice you did not respond to my point about universal health care/single payer. ---
**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, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/69 "2014-03-13T19:10:57Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I’d prefer a more equitable system. I notice you did not respond to my point about universal health care/single payer. It’s not worth responding to someone who thinks that it’s “free”. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/70 "2014-03-13T19:11:21Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Why so defensive? Thought you were proud of mooching. Your petulant use of \*mooching \*just shows how utterly you misunderstand the concept of society. Newsflash: You’d probably be a parasite-filled dirt farmer without government. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/71 "2014-03-13T19:12:05Z")
And the concept of _insurance_, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/72 "2014-03-13T19:44:25Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Moochers love mooching. No surprise. Greedy, misanthropes hate contributing to the common good. No Surprise. Note to mods: this is meant as a turn around of Terr’s insulting phrase not an insult to Terr. ---
**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, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/73 "2014-03-13T19:52:06Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > It’s not worth responding to someone who thinks that it’s “free”. All the numbers indicate it’s much more economically efficient than our current system. Also tends to produce better health outcomes. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/74 "2014-03-13T20:12:32Z")
[64% now support Obamacare](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-12/americans-stick-with-obamacare-as-opposition-burns-bright.html) with or without small refinements. Run against it if you dare. ---
**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, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/75 "2014-03-13T20:16:34Z")
[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/obama\_and\_democrats\_health\_care\_plan-1130.html](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/obama_and_democrats_health_care_plan-1130.html) ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/76 "2014-03-13T20:21:56Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > [64% now support Obamacare](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-12/americans-stick-with-obamacare-as-opposition-burns-bright.html) with or without small refinements. > > Run against it if you dare. And they will…in the midterms. Their constituents are already bought-in, and already believe in the Obamacare bogeyman. It is the 2016 presidential election that running against the ACA will be a problem for Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/77 "2014-03-13T20:23:15Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [RealClearPolitics - Election Other - Public Approval of Health Care Law](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/obama_and_democrats_health_care_plan-1130.html) All for/against stuff, with no “make it better” option. I thought everyone knew better by now. ---
**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, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/78 "2014-03-13T23:10:01Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Well, to be honest, the IDEA of Obamacare was to make everyone get health insurance and, you know, spread the risk. Like in any other form of insurance. Are the bad drivers who keep my insurance premiums high (I’m a very good driver) mooching off me? I guess. But no one ever seems to get exercised about that. Perhaps we should! Those damn moochers! It was more than that. The idea of Obamacare was to make people lose their bargain insurance and get more expensive insurance, to as you say, spread the risk. ---
**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, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/79 "2014-03-13T23:12:07Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > [64% now support Obamacare](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-12/americans-stick-with-obamacare-as-opposition-burns-bright.html) with or without small refinements. > > Run against it if you dare. Heh. I wonder what these “small changes” are(getting rid of the mandate?) and if Democrats support those small changes. Because if Democrats don’t, that still leaves them at odds with the majority. And that’s the fundamental problem. Democrats want to run criticizing their own plan, but they can’t coalesce behind any ACTUAL changes. ---
**Author:** ![Raskolnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac8455/32.png) [@Raskolnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raskolnikov)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385/80 "2014-03-14T01:53:42Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > All the numbers indicate it’s much more economically efficient than our current system. Also tends to produce better health outcomes. you know, I equate that with being an “F” student, getting straight "D-"s and saying “Look at me, see how improved I am?” sure, health care was 18% of GDP, sure we were spending wayyyy too much on it in comparison to most other nations so any improvement is good, but when you’re system costs literally 2 or 3 times higher than France, Australia, England, etc you’ve got a loooong way to go before costs are where they should be. and I have no faith that it ever will. How many dozens, hundreds of meds are out there now that are manufactured for literally pennies and an American is charged 2 or 3 times what other countries people are charged. a 10 minuet MRI of your neck, US: $1,200, France: $300 basically what Obama has done is mandate that people "buy’’ (oftentimes largely subsidized by the feds) a private for-profit health care policy (not actual health care mind you) , created way more bureaucracy in the process. seriously, if the insurance industry went along with it something’s not right. what ever happened to the “47million uninsured” that I heard so much about during the campaign? after the law was signed all I heard him say was that b/c of the law 30million more americans will have health care (really insurance) did 17 million suddenly get health insurance? what happened to all of them? and why didn’t the Dems take that one chance they had with a majority in congress and actually pass meaningful health insurance legislation. The GOP successfully appealed to younger peoples sense of greed by talking about having to buy a policy which they weren’t going to use as much and subsidizing the older folks. This was the Dems big chance to sing from the mountain that Medicare’s admin rate of 4-6% , ability to keep costs down, and customers who when polled about Medicare are always happy with it, to say “gee, imagine what Medicare could do if we all could buy into it instead of private for profit health insurance”. but they didn’t , we put a band aid over the problem, we’ve reduced some costs which was inevitable considering the ridiculous mess health care was in in this country and now we’re all pretending it’s all fixed. It’s not. and he is neither a great president nor policy mastermind nor truly compassionate liberal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uninsured-rate-drops-to-lowest-number-since-obama-took-office/683385.md?page=5)