Flatlines: Obama's Job Loss Program Gets Worse—50 Million Americans Uninsured in 2009

Yesterday, the Census Bureau indicated that 50.7 million Americans were uninsured in 2009, up from 46.3 million in 2008.  Specifically, the number of people with private health insurance dropped to 253.6 million from 255.1 million—the first year that the number of people with health insurance has decreased since 1987.   
 
When President Obama signed the $1 trillion stimulus bill in February 2009, he promised unemployment would not exceed 8 percent.  Since then, unemployment has been above 9 percent for 16 consecutive months and at one point, hit a 27-year high of 10.2 percent.  Today’s Census report found that the percent of people who had employment-provided coverage dropped to 55.8 percent in 2009—the lowest level of employment-provided coverage since 1987.  Since most Americans get their health insurance from their employer, President Obama’s job loss program has caused millions of Americans to lose their health insurance when they lost their jobs.  
 
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