Remember the public health insurance option that much of America and all Congressional Republican lawmakers were against? Well, a new Gallup poll found that more Americans actually jumped on a public health plan in 2009 than 2008.
According to the poll, 24.6 percent of insured Americans in 2009 had coverage through a government plan such as Medicaid, Medicare or a military or veteran’s health insurance plan.
In 2008, 23.3 percent of insured Americans were covered with a government-sponsored plan.
The poll also found that employer coverage is waning. In 2009, 46.8 percent of the insured population had employer-based group health insurance — 49.2 percent had employer coverage in 2008.
More Americans also were uninsured in 2009 than 2008 — 16.2 percent and 14.8 percent respectively.
With the poor economy and unemployment as high as it is right now, this data really isn’t a huge surprise. But it does highlight the fact that when people can’t afford health insurance, which many can’t, they turn to the government.