GOP cites new survey showing rising number of uninsured under Obama

House Republicans seized on new data Tuesday showing that the number of uninsured adults has risen steadily during the Obama administration.

Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee circulated the Gallup data ahead of President Obama’s State of the Union address to argue that his healthcare law has failed.

“As President Obama prepares to deliver the State of the Union this evening, many are expecting that yet again the President will point to his health care overhaul as one of his top accomplishments,” the committee majority said in a news release. “Not so fast.”

According to Gallup, 17 percent of American adults lacked health insurance in December, tying the highest levels since Gallup began tracking health coverage. Gallup said roughly 14 percent of adults were uninsured in February 2008, and the number has risen steadily since.

Most parts of the healthcare law, including its largest coverage expansions, will not go into effect until 2014.

"Thanks to my Republican colleagues on Ways and Means for accidentally making our case for health reform," Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) said in a statement. "They complain that more people were uninsured in 2011 than ever before. We agree that's a major problem. It's why we enacted the Affordable Care Act, which will expand coverage to more than 32 million more Americans starting in 2014."

And Tuesday’s Gallup figures also show that the law has helped more young adults gain access to coverage. Roughly 25 percent of people aged 18 to 25 are uninsured, down from 28 percent in 2008.

Gallup attributed the drop to a provision in the healthcare law, already in effect, that allows children to stay on their parents’ healthcare plans through age 26.

— This post was updated at 2:45 p.m. with Stark's comments.

---