Since 2008, the percentage of American adults who get their health insurance from an employer has declined from 49.8% to 44.5%.  The percentage of Americans without health insurance has grown from 14.6% to 17.3% (how bout that Obamacare, huh?).  Meanwhile, Americans on a government plan has risen from 22.9% to 25.1%.

What does all this mean?  Are these results really that surprising for a nation embroiled in a recession, with massive increases in government spending and bureacracy, or with an aging population?  Here's Gallup:

At least 45% of Americans got their health insurance from an employer in every month in 2010, compared with more than 46% in 2009 and more than 48% in 2008. Initially, the percentage reporting they have employer-based health insurance seemed to be decreasing as unemployment and underemployment increased. However, it is likely that other factors -- including fewer employers offering health insurance -- are also contributing to this trend.

So, Gallup does not know either.  The question will be what happens when the economy finally does turn around. For example, Gallup reports that Wal-Mart has announced that it will no longer provide health insurance to any new part-time employees working less than 24 hours per week.  That has a huge impact.  Will that come back with the economy?  Probably not.

Still Gallup has hope that Obamacare will cure all:

At the same time, the percentage of Americans who are uninsured is on the rise again after remaining fairly steady throughout 2010. If more employers stop offering health insurance and the cost of purchasing insurance for individuals remains a barrier, it is possible that the uninsured rate will continue to rise -- at least until additional parts of the 2010 healthcare legislation take effect.

Uh-huh.  What exactly will Obamacare do to keep employers from offering health insurance?  Impose a $2000 annual fine?  That is far cheaper than a policy costs.  Nothing in Obamacare is designed to decrease the cost of insurance, only increase it.  Keep on wishing in one hand Gallup . . . 

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