Obamacare is working with the key demographics it needs to succeed

Almost five years ago, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law with the stated goal of eventually providing health insurance to every person in the U.S.

One year after its full implementation, the law known as Obamacare has so far been successful at moving toward accomplishing that goal. Gallup on Wednesday released new data that shows a plunge in the rate of uninsured from the last three months of 2013 to the last three months of 2014.

The decline was seen across all demographics, including some the Obama administration has targeted as crucial toward the law’s success — African-Americans, Latinos, and young people.

The rate of uninsured Americans plummeted overall on a year-over-year basis. In the fourth quarter of 2013, 17.1 percent of the adult population (18-65) was uninsured. By the end of last year, just 12.9 percent of Americans were without health insurance, the lowest ever recorded, according to Gallup’s data.

Here’s a look at the plunge over the past five years, per Gallup:

The plunge was even starker among the key demographics. The uninsured rate among young people aged 18-25 plunged more than 6 points, from 23.5 percent to 17.4 percent.

The uninsured rate among the African-American population saw the most staggering decline, dropping 7 percentage points (20.9 to 13.9) on a year-over-year basis. And among Latinos, by far the most uninsured demographic in America, the uninsured rate dropped more than 6 percentage points, from 38.7 percent to 32.4 percent.

Here’s a look at the demographic drop:

The success among the demographics is significant for a number of reasons. Signing up young people into plans is crucial for the law, which needs them to balance out the older, sicker population to keep costs relatively low.

Latinos, meanwhile, have been the group of people the Obama administration has most heavily targeted in enrollment-outreach efforts. Closing the coverage gap between white and minority populations in the near-term is also important to the law’s success — an Urban Institute study released last month projected that if all states adopt the law’s expansion of the federal Medicaid program, the uninsured rate among Latinos would plunge to near 15 percent.

But challenges remain toward getting these groups signed up for health insurance. Especially Latinos, where barriers include language and outreach, as well as fears that applying could expose a relative living in the country illegally.

The Obama administration is also set for a huge showdown before the Supreme Court, in a case that could put millions of people’s subsidies at risk.

“The Affordable Care Act has accomplished one of its goals: increasing the percentage of Americans who have health insurance coverage,” Gallup’s Jenna Levy wrote along with the data.

“The uninsured rate as measured by Gallup has dropped 4.2 points since the requirement to have health insurance or pay a fine went into effect. It will likely drop further as plans purchased during the current open enrollment period take effect.”

Brett LoGiurato is the senior national political correspondent at Fusion, where he covers all things 2016. He’ll give you everything you need to know about politics, with a healthy side of puns.