Health affairs
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Previous research has demonstrated large gains in insurance coverage associated with the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) Medicaid expansion in 2014. We used detailed federal survey data through 2015 to analyze more recent changes in coverage for low-income adults after the expansion. We found that the uninsurance rate fell in both expansion and nonexpansion states but that it fell significantly more in expansion states. ⋯ Private coverage increased in nonexpansion states, but significantly less than Medicaid coverage increased in expansion states. Rates of private coverage did not appear to decline in expansion states. Finally, Medicaid expansion was associated with significantly improved quality of health coverage, as reported by low-income adults.
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Despite receiving less attention than their childless counterparts, low-income parents also experienced significant expansions of Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We used data for the period 2010-15 from the National Health Interview Survey to examine the impacts of the ACA's Medicaid expansion on coverage, access and use, affordability, and health status for low-income parents. ⋯ Together, our results suggest that the improvements in mental health status may be driven by reduced stress associated with improved financial security from insurance coverage. We also found large missed opportunities for low-income parents in states that did not expand Medicaid: If these states had expanded Medicaid, uninsurance rates for low-income parents would have fallen by an additional 28 percent.
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With the GOP's ACA repeal-and-replace plan dead, at least for now, attention shifts to administrative action and other legislation.