They found significant evidence that the Affordable Care Act did lead to more people with health insurance through the dependent coverage extension, the health insurance exchanges developed under the act, and Medicaid expansion-although in states that did not expand Medicaid, there was less. The study found people who gained coverage and had at least one of these chronic conditions saw larger decreases in out-of-pocket spending compared to those who did not have at least one condition. “In contrast, the share of whites has declined, falling from half in 2013 to 41 percent in 2016”.
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For the study, researchers analyzed prescription transaction data for 6.7 million people who filled prescriptions and compared changes in coverage, prescription fills, plan spending and out-of-pocket spending before and after the implementation of the ACA’s coverage expansion.
Additionally, recently insured consumers say that their new health care coverage is a good value and that the coverage makes them feel more financially secure. “While our study did not specifically address the impacts of initiating treatment, treatment of preexisting conditions could improve long-run health outcomes and reduce long-run health care spending”.
Of the 24 million American adults without health coverage between February and April 2016, 88 percent were Hispanic, under age 35, made less than $16,243 a year, and/or worked for a small business.
The largest health insurance provider UnitedHealth Group, and Humana, have already announced that they would cut their coverage plans significantly for 2017.
The research was published online by Health Affairs Wednesday.
Steven Cuadros, 59, of Pleasanton, said even though he now has insurance as a lab technician through his employer, he depended on Obamacare for the years he was unemployed and could not afford health care.
Before the Affordable Care Act, there were seven million uninsured people living in California.
“Some regions and some counties have done a really great job at outreach and enrollment and other counties have a little bit more room to get more people signed up”, says Dietz. “It also may be that [laws] not allowing non-citizens to enroll … could be loosened”.
Manufacturers and service firms estimated that their health coverage costs increased by 8.5 percent this year and are expecting a 10 percent increase next year.
Marin County resident Cerridwen Fallingstar said her Kaiser Permanente health plan is not flawless, but until the country adopts a single-payer health plan that mimics Medicare, it will have to do.
Almost half of the remaining uninsured are unaware of the financial help available only through Covered California.
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Garfield pointed out that the lower rate of health care coverage for Hispanics isn’t surprising and that other research has found similar findings. “It speaks to the barriers to getting care when you don’t have insurance”.
