The number of uninsured residents in Guilford County decreased by about 10,000 in the last two years, according to data from the federal census. But low-cost and free health clinics in the area are still seeing a steady stream of patients.
The News and Record reports the uninsured rate in the county dropped from about 17 percent in 2012 to nearly 15 percent in 2013.
Experts say the reasons for the drop are most likely a combination of the improving economy and the Affordable Care Act.
The rate of uninsured residents in Guilford County in the past five years has roughly followed the same pattern as its unemployment rate. Both numbers spiked at the beginning of the recession in 2008 and have fallen mostly steadily since then.
The decrease hasn't necessarily slowed the demand for health care services for the uninsured. Lisa Duck, the executive director for the Guilford Community Care Network, says that clinics are still seeing a steady stream of patients for health and dental care.
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