WatchPreliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that in 2011, the number of uninsured Americans fell for the first time in four years. These data further suggest that federal policies were responsible for the gains in coverage.
On September 12, the Census Bureau will release estimates of the number of Americans with and without health insurance coverage in 2011, based on its annual Current Population Survey. Other survey data and historical trends provide clues as to what the Census data are likely to show.