National poll credits Affordable Care Act with low rate of uninsured

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This week, a national non-partisan poll found the number of people without health insurance is at its lowest level in six years.

The Gallup poll credits the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, with helping millions of Americans get health insurance.

Eyewitness News talked to two fathers about their experiences trying to get their families covered under the Affordable Care Act.

The Rev. Jason Williams said before Obamacare, a third of his family's income was going toward health insurance that didn't cover his 19-year-old son, who is adopted.

Under the Affordable Care Act, his young daughters qualify for Medicaid and Williams was able to get cheaper insurance for the rest of his family.

"In fact we were able to move from a $700-a-month payment for four out of the five of us, to a $300-a-month payment for all five of us," Williams said.

Jeremy Flyne-Ackah is a father of two. His wife has insurance through her job and his young son was able to get Medicaid.

He's logged lots of hours on the phone trying to get coverage for himself and his daughter on the healthcare marketplace.

"I don't want to sit on the phone for 116 minutes again," Flyne-Ackah said.

Flyne-Ackah is eligible to apply for insurance but won't be able to afford coverage for his 19-year-old daughter. 

Based on his income, experts say both he and his daughter likely would have qualified for Medicaid, but it wasn't expanded in North Carolina, so they fall into a coverage gap.

Despite his challenges, Flyne-Ackah is still hopeful his entire family will eventually be covered.

"The process doesn't look good for the health care, but I still believe Obamacare is a good thing," he said.

A recent Gallup poll found right now, the U.S. has the lowest rate of Americans without health insurance since before the recession in 2008 and credits Obamacare with getting millions access to health coverage.  Action NC believes that number will only continue grow.

"There will be billions more Americans who get coverage the next time the exchanges are open for enrollment," Executive Director Pat McCoy said.
 
You can view the results of the Gallup poll by clicking here. 

WSOC