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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 17 May 2017

Progress reducing US uninsured rate comes to a halt

By RICARDO ZALDIVAR final year as president. Now, the number of unin- The politically unpopu- ing their own private poli-
Associated Press Premiums for private insur- sured could start climbing lar GOP bill passed nar- cies. Republicans also
WASHINGTON (AP) — Five ance were about to jump, again under policies being rowly by the House would would repeal the require-
years of progress reducing ment that most Americans
the number of Americans carry health insurance or
without health insurance risk fines, a much-disliked
has come to a halt, ac- nudge to get healthy peo-
cording to a government ple covered.
report out Tuesday. More The legislation would lead
than a factoid, it shows the to an estimated increase of
stakes in the Republican 24 million uninsured people
drive to roll back the Af- within 10 years, according
fordable Care Act. to congressional analysts.
The report from the Cen- Under “Obamacare,”
ters for Disease Control there are 20 million fewer
and Prevention estimates uninsured since 2010.
that 28.6 million people “It’s disappointing that it’s
were uninsured in 2016, un- stalled out,” said health
changed from 2015. It was economist Gail Wilensky,
the first year since passage a Republican. “The real
of the health care overhaul question is, will we be able
in 2010 that the number of to keep the gains that we
uninsured did not budge. have made?” Critical of
The uninsured rate for 2016 the ACA and co-author of
was 9 percent, an insignifi- an alternative plan by GOP
cant difference from 9.1 The HealthCare.gov 2017 web site home page is seen on a laptop in Washington. After five con- policy experts, Wilensky
secutive years of coverage gains, progress reducing the number of uninsured Americans stalled
percent the previous year. in 2016, according to a government report that highlights the stakes as Republicans try to roll nonetheless supports the
When former President back Barack Obama’s law. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 28.6 goal of expanding cov-
Barack Obama signed the million people were uninsured last year, unchanged from 2015. The uninsured rate was 9 percent, erage. She’s concerned
ACA in 2010, the uninsured not a significant change from 9.1 percent in 2015. about the impact of the
rate had been 16 percent. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) House bill on Medicaid, the
Tuesday’s report suggests and 19 states continued to considered by President limit Medicaid financing federal-state program for
that the ACA was running refuse the law’s Medicaid Donald Trump and con- and curtail subsidies for low-income and disabled
low on gas in Obama’s expansion. gressional Republicans. many consumers buy- people. q

Washington becomes latest state to seek ID compliance

By RACHEL LA CORTE other states have struggled cilities. across the country have rity of our citizens.”
Associated Press for years to comply with Some liberal and conser- been scrambling for legis- Just 25 states and the Dis-
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — the REAL ID Act, a 2005 vative states have object- lative fixes so residents can trict of Columbia are cur-
People in Washington federal law that requires ed to the new rules, with board flights and travel rently in compliance with
state likely won’t have to state driver’s licenses and concerns ranging from dis- without confusion. the federal law, though
worry next year about the ID cards to have security crimination to worries that “This will help to ease prob- most of the remaining
identification they take to enhancements and to be law-abiding U.S. citizens lems at border crossings, states and territories have
the airport after Gov. Jay issued to people who can could be tracked using the airports, federal court- been granted various
Inslee signed a measure prove they are legally in new system. Others have houses, and military bases extensions. Residents of
Tuesday seeking to make the United States. opposed the U.S. govern- where REAL ID compliant states that are in compli-
the state one of more than The law was passed after ment unilaterally setting documents are required,” ance have until Oct. 21,
two dozen in compliance the Sept. 11 terrorist at- standards in an area tradi- Inslee said before he 2020, before being re-
with federal identification tacks to strengthen rules tionally handled by states. signed the bill, adding that quired to show the REAL ID
requirements. for identification needed With a January dead- the measure ensures the compliant identification.
Washington and several at airports and federal fa- line looming, lawmakers “convenience and secu- 2020.q