Affordable Care Act and Changes in Uninsured

A press release about a Gallup poll that provides details about the number of uninsured individuals in the United States.  The number has gone down from 17.3 percent of the population to 13.8 percent of the population.  The article then provides information on several states that have had more substantial decreases in the percentage of the population that is uninsured.  In those states, hospitals have seen the proportion of patients in emergency departments or general admissions decrease.  In addition, Medicaid has increased coverage.  The hospitals have improved financially.  A key question is whether this is a causal relationship.  Even more importantly, if the law's implications are put into jeopardy by a current supreme court case and there is no contingency plan, then it is truly not clear what will happen to hospitals' financing positions.