Has Obamacare Failed? 10 States With the Least Insurance Coverage

No wonder Republicans are griping about the Affordable Care Act. Turns out that the states with the largest amount of uninsured residents are red states, according to WalletHub.
By Laurie Kulikowski ,

No wonder Republicans are griping about the Affordable Care Act (aka, Obamacare). Turns out that the states with the largest proportions of uninsured residents happen to be red states, according to a report by WalletHub.

WalletHub compared the uninsured rates pre- and post-Obamacare in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to provide a broad perspective of those rates as well as more granular analysis, such as, comparisons based on age, race/ethnicity, income and by private insurer vs. public insurer, by using U.S. Census Bureau data.

As the race for the 2016 U.S. Presidency heats up, the Affordable Care Act has been a hot topic -- particularly among Republican candidates. In this week's Fox Business News debate with the eight top Republican candidates, the topic came up numerous times.

"Obamacare has to be replaced because it's failing. It's failing the very people it was intended to help, but, also, it is crony-capitalism at its worst," said former Hewlett-Packard CEO and Republican Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina during Tuesday night's Republican debate in Milwaukee.

At the national level, the percentage of uninsured residents was 11.7% in 2014, down 3.8 points from 2010, WalletHub said, citing data from the U.S. Census' American Community Survey.

The average rank for a "red" state, or those states whose residents vote primarily republican, is 34.54, while the average rank for a "blue" state, or those that vote primarily democrat, is 18.41 -- meaning that red states have more uninsured residents than blue states, according to WalletHub.

Here are the 10 states with the highest number of uninsured residents. And when you're done be sure to check out the states with the most insurance coverage


10. Montana
Uninsured Rate 2014: 14.22%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -3.1 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 20.85% compared to a rate of 5.28% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks Montana near the top of the list of states with the largest disparities between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Montana is considered a red state.


9. Mississippi
Uninsured Rate 2014: 14.49%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -3.7 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 19.33% compared to a rate of 6.01% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks Mississippi in the upper-third group of states with large disparities between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Mississippi is considered a red state.


8. New Mexico
Uninsured Rate 2014: 14.52%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -5.09 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 18.94% compared to a rate of 6.87% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks New Mexico in the middle (slightly below the national average of 12.29%) of the country, when it comes to the size of the disparity between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

New Mexico is a state that leans "blue."

7. Louisiana
Uninsured Rate 2014: 14.77%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -3.04 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 20.19% compared to a rate of 6.33% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks Louisiana as part of the 10 states with the largest disparities between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Louisiana is a red state.

6. Nevada
Uninsured Rate 2014: 15.21%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -7.41 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 21.14% compared to a rate of 7.92% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks Nevada in the top third of states with the largest disparities between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Nevada is a swing state.

5. Oklahoma
Uninsured Rate 2014: 15.36%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -3.5 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 21.48% compared to a rate of 6.31% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks Oklahoma in the top 10 states with the largest disparities between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Oklahoma is considered a red state.

4. Georgia
Uninsured Rate 2014: 15.83%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -3.87 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 23.33% compared to a rate of 5.64% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks Georgia as the No. 2 state with the largest disparity between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Georgia is a red state.

3. Florida
Uninsured Rate 2014: 16.57%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -4.69 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 22.33% compared to a rate of 7.47% for uninsured high-income households That ranks Florida as one of the top 10 states with the largest disparities between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Florida is a swing state.

2. Alaska
Uninsured Rate 2014: 17.21%
Absolute Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -2.65 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 23.97% compared to a rate of 11.05% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks Alaska slightly higher than the national average of 12.29% in determining states with large disparities between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Alaska is a red state.

1. Texas
Uninsured Rate 2014: 19.06%
Difference in the Uninsured Rate from 2010: -4.65 percentage points

The uninsured rate for low-income households last year was 27.76% compared to a rate of 7.7% for uninsured high-income households. That ranks the Longhorn state the No. 1 state with the largest disparity between low- and high-income uninsured residents.

Texas is a red state.

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