Study: 9 out of 10 Americans have health coverage

America's much-maligned health care system is covering 9 out of 10 people, AP's Ricardo Alonso Zaldivar reports.

Why it matters: "The politicians are depicting a system in meltdown. The numbers point to a different story, not as dire and more nuanced."

• "Lack of coverage was a growing problem in 2010 when Democrats under Obama passed his health law. Now, the bigger issue seems to be that many people with insurance are struggling to pay their deductibles and copays."

The data: "Government surveys show that about 90% of the population has coverage, largely preserving gains from President Obama's years."

• "Independent experts estimate that more than half of the roughly 30 million uninsured people in the country are eligible for health insurance through existing programs."

Between the lines: Those facts haven't stopped the 2020 presidential candidates from refighting battles about how to provide coverage, from Bernie Sanders' call for replacing private insurance with a government plan to President Trump's pledge to erase the Affordable Care Act and start over.