A new Gallup poll shows Kansas is the only state in the nation to see a significant increase in its uninsured rate this year. Meanwhile, states that adopted parts of the Affordable Care Act have seen the largest declines in their rates.
The adult uninsured rate in Kansas rose from 12.5 percent last year to more than 17.5 percent during the first half of this year, giving it the seventh-highest uninsured rate in the U.S. Research director Dan Witters did not offer an explanation for the growth in Kansas uninsured.
Kansas was the only state with a statistically significant increase in the percentage of uninsured residents.
The 10 states with the largest reductions in uninsured rates this year all had expanded their Medicaid programs and either created their own exchanges or partnered with the federal government.
Like Kansas, Missouri did not expand Medicaid or create its own exchange, but its rate remained essentially flat, with 15.2 percent uninsured in 2013 and 15.1 percent uninsured midway through this year.
