Since the Affordable Care Act has been in place, a recent Gallup poll shows the number of uninsured American declined from 17.1% to 15.9% in the first quarter of 2014, the lowest level since 2008. Half of Americans who remain uninsured say they will ultimately purchase health insurance as the March 31 deadline approaches.
The percentage of Americans who get insurance through a current or former employer fell nearly two points so far in the first quarter of 2014 to 43.4%. More Americans now say their primary health insurance coverage is through a plan fully paid for by themselves or a family member compared with at the end of 2013 — 18.1% vs. 17.2%. Those most likely to still be uninsured are under 34, Hispanic and make less than $36,000.
A recent presentation by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee reported that those purchasing healthcare are more likely to be female, aged 45-64. Why is that? Women use the healthcare system more regularly than men. We have babies, we have a need for more preventative services, and we tend to be in charge of our family’s health.
Before the Affordable Care Act in 2008, the American Academy of Family Physicians reported that women want a health care system in which they and their families can conveniently obtain preventive services, see their personal physicians the same day they become sick, and receive coordinated follow-up care from hospitals, or care from other physicians. A Kaiser Family Foundation report indicates over half of women have a chronic condition of their own to contend with. Women need appointment flexibility – less than a third have the flexibility to change their paid work hours, but nearly 20% of them provide care for a family member. These challenges continues to be important information for those seeking to satisfy their patients.
