Health
Obama Administration: 16.4M Have Gained Health Insurance
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Julie Pace, ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 16 million Americans have gained coverage since President Barack Obama’s health care law took effect five years ago, the administration said Monday. But an independent expert who used some of the same underlying data had the much lower estimate of 9.7 million.
The Department of Health and Human Services estimated that 16.4 million adults have gained health insurance since the law’s major coverage provisions began taking effect in 2010. At the same time, data from a large daily survey called the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index show that there are 9.7 million fewer uninsured adults now compared with the first part of 2010.
There seems to be no dispute that Obama’s law has significantly reduced the number of uninsured Americans. The question is, by how much?
It will take time for authoritative statistics to emerge, particularly when the government and outside experts are using different estimating methods.
The HHS estimate comes as the administration prepares to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the law’s signing on Mar. 23, 2010. The Affordable Care Act has been politically divisive from the start.
HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell said it’s brought about “the largest reduction in the uninsured in four decades.”
Democrats hailed the law’s passage as the culmination of decades of effort to guarantee health coverage for all Americans, including people with health problems who previously could be turned away by insurance companies.
Republicans called it government overreach, and haven’t stopped trying to repeal or roll back what they dismiss as “Obamacare.” That opposition has helped the GOP win control of Congress.
The health care law offers subsidized private coverage for people who don’t have health insurance on the job, along with an expanded Medicaid program that a majority of states have accepted.
According to the HHS estimate, 14.1 million adults got their insurance after the law’s big expansion began at the end of 2013. HHS said it used Gallup-Healthways data to arrive at that figure.
Even before that, another 2.3 million people had gained coverage under a provision that lets young adults stay on a parent’s plan until age 26, the administration said. HHS reached that estimate using data from a different source, a government survey.
The administration says that means 16.4 million people gained coverage since Obama’s law took effect.
Gallup’s lower number was computed in a different way.
Dan Witters, research director for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, said his survey shows the uninsured rate declined from 16.3 percent in early 2010 to 12.3 percent this year among adults 18-64. That translates to about 9.7 million fewer uninsured adults over that time period.
Witters said he has not had time to review the government’s methodology.
But he noted that the uninsured rate has fluctuated during the past five years. On balance, fewer young adults went without coverage starting in 2010. However, older adults saw coverage losses until 2013 and the opening of the health care law’s insurance markets.
Witters added he would want to know more about how HHS combined its two separate estimates to arrive at the figure of 16.4 million gaining coverage.
HHS official Richard Frank, in charge of the government report, said the two numbers “can be added together as coverage gains associated with our policy.”
But asked if the overall figure represents a net reduction in the US uninsured rate in the five years since the law’s passage, Frank responded “that is not precisely what they represent.”
He said they are “two sets of net reductions, but they are slightly separate in the analysis.”
The administration said all racial and ethnic groups have seen gains in coverage, but the biggest improvement has come among minority groups such as Hispanics and African Americans. States that agreed to expand Medicaid continue to outperform those that did not broaden coverage for low-income people.
The law’s coverage gains haven’t settled the political debate. Republicans now in charge of both chambers of Congress remain committed to repeal, although Obama is sure to veto any such legislation.
The biggest question hanging over the law now is a Supreme Court case in which opponents argue that subsidies are illegal in most states. They contend that the exact wording of the law only allows subsidized coverage in states that have set up their own insurance markets, and most have not done so, relying instead on the federal marketplace. The administration counters that the context of the law makes it clear the purpose was to expand coverage in every state.
Independent estimates say about 8 million people could lose coverage if the subsidies are rolled back. A decision is expected by the end of June.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Black History
Arnold Perkins: At 85, a Life of Service, Faith and Giving Back
Perkins believes that health is not simply physical. It is emotional, mental, and spiritual. And for much of his life, he says, his faith and philosophy of service have kept him vibrant, happy and connected to the world around him.
The Post’s Healthy Aging Series addresses key components for healthy aging: mind, body and spirit. This article addresses the importance of having a strong spiritual or religious foundation.
As America’s population grows older, conversations about healthy aging often focus on diet, exercise and medical care. But for Dr. Arnold Xavier Cornelius Perkins, who will celebrate his 85th birthday next month, another ingredient has been equally important: a spiritual foundation and a lifelong commitment to serving others.
Perkins believes that health is not simply physical. It is emotional, mental, and spiritual. And for much of his life, he says, his faith and philosophy of service have kept him vibrant, happy and connected to the world around him.
“I am my brothers’ and sisters’ keeper,” Perkins said. “I am a ‘we’ person,” and referenced the South African expression of ‘Ubuntu,’ which means ‘I am because we all are.”
Born in Miami, Florida, Perkins came to California in 1954 with his family to attend a Seventh-day Adventist General Conference. His family ultimately decided to remain in California, unwilling to return to the harsh racism of the segregated South.
He grew up in Berkeley, attending Golden Gate Academy, Willard School, and Berkeley High School before joining the Navy during the Vietnam War era. He later attended Merritt College when the Black Panther Party was emerging in Oakland, where he became involved as a volunteer for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He graduated from San Francisco State University and completed additional coursework at Cal State East Bay.
His professional career became a remarkable journey through public service. Perkins served as Alameda County’s homeless coordinator, became a program officer with the San Francisco Foundation, headed a drug and alcohol program, and ultimately served as director of the Alameda County Public Health Department for 12 years before retiring in 2006.
But retirement did not mean stepping away from service.
Perkins jokingly describes this stage of his life as being in “preferment,” doing what he pleases. What he pleases, however, is continuing to help people.
He has worked with young people, served on San Quentin Prison’s warden advisory council, previously served on the Oakland Police Department Selection Commission, and completed two terms as chair of the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission. He chaired the University of San Francisco’s Helen Diller Stanley Comprehensive Cancer Center for 10 years and is now in his 11th year serving on the California Wellness Foundation board.
Perkins even views a hereditary heart defect through the lens of his spiritual philosophy.
“I have a hole in my heart, so I’m not physically perfect,” he said. “But I look at it as I have a hole because I pour my heart out to people.”
That perspective may be one of his greatest lessons about healthy living. Perkins believes that kindness, compassion and community have a direct impact on a person’s emotional and spiritual well-being.
“If I see an unsheltered relative, I’d give them that $20,” he said. “My responsibility is to take care.”
For Perkins, giving does not deplete a person; it gives life back. “My life’s mission is to give,” he said. “And what I get back is life.”
He knows firsthand that one person can change another person’s destiny. As a young man, Perkins stuttered and often fought in response to the teasing and humiliation he experienced. A teacher, Jeff Tedisco, defended him and changed the direction of his life.
“If it hadn’t been for him,” Perkins said, “I would have been in San Quentin.”
Instead, Perkins now goes to Indaba Court, a restorative justice program, to help young people who have made wrong choices understand that they are part of a larger community.
“When they harm one person, they harm the community,” he said.
His prescription for a vibrant life is simple: be understanding, be kind and remember that life is not all about you.
“When we fold our arms, we can’t receive anything,” Perkins said. “But when we stretch out our arms and serve one another, we build community.”
At nearly 85, Arnold Perkins continues to prove that a life rooted in faith, service and love may be one of the most powerful foundations for healthy aging.
Next Week: Brenda Dennis Harris “The Body Temple.”
Commentary
NPRC Elder Justice Symposium Invites Community to Join Effort to Protect Alameda County Elders
“Two of our most vulnerable populations are elders and the disabled, and many times that combination resides in one individual,” said Tanya Dennis, lead facilitator of NPRC. “At our symposium, NPRC will bring decision makers and elders together in one space for a day to develop strategy and policy to protect and empower.”
The National Probate Reform Coalition (NPRC) will host an Elder Justice Symposium on Friday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Oakland City Hall, bringing elders, families, advocates, policymakers and community leaders together to address elder abuse, financial exploitation and problems within probate and conservatorship systems.
The symposium is designed to inform and empower the community while developing strategies and policies to better protect Alameda County’s vulnerable elders and disabled residents.
“Two of our most vulnerable populations are elders and the disabled, and many times that combination resides in one individual,” said Tanya Dennis, lead facilitator of NPRC. “At our symposium, NPRC will bring decision makers and elders together in one space for a day to develop strategy and policy to protect and empower.”
Dennis said NPRC has drafted proposed legislation intended to make conservatorship a true last resort by adding safeguards before and after a petition is filed. Proposals include mandatory private mediation before entering probate and placement of an ombudsman in probate proceedings to advocate for the rights and interests of prospective or current conservatees.
The coalition also wants stronger protections for elders’ estates and assets, arguing that money accumulated over a lifetime should be preserved for elders, families and intended beneficiaries rather than unnecessarily depleted by court-related expenses.
NPRC meets monthly through Zoom and has expanded into a national coalition because elder abuse, financial exploitation and guardianship and conservatorship concerns extend well beyond Alameda County.
“Members share horror stories of being isolated from their parents and children, many times physically abused and overmedicated; seeing estates drained for court costs, and assets that parents spent decades saving to leave a legacy depleted instead and going to strangers,” said Venus Gist, an NPRC co-facilitator and former victim of the probate system. Gist said she spent more than $80,000 trying to protect her parents’ estate.
“Eighty thousand dollars is nothing compared to the people in our group losing millions and having to sell their businesses and homes to pay court fees,” she said.
The symposium will also examine forms of elder exploitation including telephone scams, bank fraud, identity theft, family financial abuse and exploitation by trusted individuals. Participants will learn to recognize warning signs involving caregivers, financial professionals, health and social service workers, attorneys and guardians.
NPRC is seeking a California lawmaker willing to champion legislation that strengthens elder protections and increases accountability in the conservatorship process.
The symposium follows Supervisor Nate Miley’s 23rd Annual Healthy Living Festival on Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Oakland Zoo. The free event for adults 55 and older will feature health screenings, vaccinations, nearly 100 community resource booths, lunch, entertainment and complimentary zoo admission for eligible attendees.
Dennis said the two events offer a comprehensive two-day focus on elder well-being.
“The health fair will cover the physical care of our elders, and the next day NPRC’s symposium will cover the mental and social health,” Dennis said. “Together, we are offering a comprehensive two days of care for Alameda County elders.”
Both events are free, and advance registration is recommended because space is limited. Community members, elders, families, advocates and public officials are encouraged to participate. Breakfast and lunch will be served at both events.
For registration: Sign-up is required via Supervisor Nate Miley’s Eventbrite page NPRC registration is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/elder-justice-symposium-tickets-1998385423597?aff=oddtdtcreator
Commentary
Episode 4: Grow Stronger After 50
INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER — Episode 4 of the Second Half of Life Podcast features hosts Thomas Griffin and Andrea McGordon in conversation with Joel Hungate, Assistant Vice President of Strategy & Integrated Wellbeing at Hancock Health. Hungate, a biomedical engineer, health adventurer, and Netflix-featured survivalist, discusses reinvention, personal reflection, confidence, and building lasting health beyond age 50.
Strength doesn’t disappear when you turn 50- it evolves. Just as growth is a lifelong journey, becoming stronger happens every day. The second half of life is not the beginning of decline; it is the horizon of a stronger, healthier, more confident, and happier version of yourself.
In Episode 4 of the Second Half of Life Podcast, hosts Thomas Griffin and Andrea McGordon sit down with Joel Hungate, Assistant Vice President of Strategy & Integrated Wellbeing at Hancock Health, biomedical engineer, health adventurer, and Netflix-featured survivalist, for a compelling conversation on reinvention, personal reflection, confidence, and building lasting health after 50.
Drawing from his professional expertise and extraordinary life experiences, Joel challenges many of the myths surrounding aging and demonstrates that the years after 50 can be filled with purpose, adventure, and renewed strength.
The Door Doesn’t Shut at Your Second Half
One of the most memorable moments from the conversation came when Joel Hungate shared a simple yet profound truth:
“The door doesn’t shut at 50.”
Far too many people believe that once they reach the second half of life, opportunities begin to disappear. Joel offers a refreshing perspective, reminding viewers that age does not determine potential. Instead, the years after 50 present an opportunity to reflect on your experiences, redefine your purpose, and confidently pursue new goals.
Whether you’ve always wanted to travel, learn a new skill, improve your health, or simply become the best version of yourself, your second half is not a limitation; it’s an invitation.
Watch the first short clip here:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uTp_tFVgb55Ux1GWmQnLRHp2YTVdl68k/view?usp=drivesdk
Find a Version of Strength Training That Works for You
When people hear the words strength training, many immediately picture lifting heavy weights in a gym. Joel Hungate believes strength looks different for everyone.
You don’t need an expensive fitness membership to become stronger. Walking after dinner, climbing stairs, carrying groceries, hiking with friends, cycling, resistance exercises, or simply staying physically active can all help build strength and preserve independence as you age.
Joel encourages people 50 and over to find a form of movement they genuinely enjoy because consistency not intensity, is what transforms health over time. One practical habit he recommends is taking a walk after dinner, a simple routine that benefits both physical health and overall wellbeing.
Watch the second short clip here:https://drive.google.com/file/d/188dzfMoEbNOxzjXxde2-j4xochFL8lHQ/view?usp=drivesdk
A Way Out of the Frailty Epidemic
Frailty has become one of the greatest health challenges affecting those over 50, yet many people don’t realize that it is not an inevitable part of aging.
During the conversation, Joel explains how maintaining muscle strength, staying active, and making intentional lifestyle choices can significantly reduce the risk of frailty while supporting healthy weight management.
Rather than accepting weakness as a normal part of growing older, he challenges listeners to adopt habits that preserve mobility, resilience, and independence for years to come.
If you’ve ever wondered how to stay strong and capable well into your later years, this conversation offers practical insights that could change the way you think about aging.
Watch the third short clip here:https://drive.google.com/file/d/13BJIGBE68IsEoA3sVaAT8UIBEpepq6A7/view?usp=drivesdk
Eating Better Isn’t the Goal for a Healthy You- Here’s What Is
One of Joel’s most thought-provoking statements during the episode was:
“When we think health is an end goal, it never works.”
Health is not a destination that we eventually arrive at, it is a lifelong journey shaped by daily decisions.
Joel explains that while nutritious eating is important, lasting health is built through a combination of purposeful movement, meaningful relationships, quality sleep, continual learning, and embracing new adventures. Healthy living is about creating a lifestyle that allows you to enjoy life, not simply following another diet.
This refreshing perspective encourages viewers to shift their focus from chasing perfection to building sustainable habits that support long-term wellbeing.
Watch the fourth short clip here:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PjaysWUmBOTQunVBqQb6KcgKPHEUL5qM/view?usp=drivesdk
More Than a Conversation- A Blueprint for Living Stronger
Episode 4 of the Second Half of Life Podcast is more than an inspiring discussion- it is a practical guide for anyone determined to thrive after 50.
Joel Hungate shares expert insights, personal experiences, and actionable advice that challenge outdated beliefs about aging. His message is clear: strength doesn’t fade with age unless we stop investing in it.
If you’re ready to eliminate the fear of frailty, build lasting confidence, and embrace the adventure that awaits in the second half of life, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.
Watch the full episode now and discover how to grow stronger after 50.
For more, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
The post Episode 4: Grow Stronger After 50 appeared first on Indianapolis Recorder.
Based on reporting by Indianapolis Recorder.
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