'Between 2010 and 2012, nearly one-third (32%) of U.S. adults ages 19 to 64, or an estimated 55 million people, were either continuously uninsured or spent a period of time uninsured. Data from the 2011 and 2012 Commonwealth Fund Health Insurance Tracking Surveys of U.S. Adults show that people with incomes below 133 percent of the federal poverty level (i.e., the level that will make them eligible for Medicaid in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act) were uninsured at the highest rates. Yet, fewer than half the states are currently planning to expand their Medicaid programs, because the 2012 Supreme Court decision allows states to choose whether to expand eligibility. In those states that have not yet decided to expand, as many as two of five (42%) adults who were uninsured for any time over the two years would not have access to the new coverage provisions in the law.
(h/t +Margie Kleerup)
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In States’ Hands: How the Decision to Expand Medicaid Will Affect the Most Financially Vulnerable Americans – The Commonwealth Fund
If the states that have so far not chosen to expand Medicaid eligibility don’t eventually do so, as many as two of five recently uninsured adults in those states will likely have no new affordable health insurance options next year, according to a new Commonwealth Fund study.
The so-called ACA explicitly consigned the poorest sector of the population to third-class steerage. And now a lot a them (us) are going to be getting it good and hard. This is a surprise how, exactly? A bureaucratic kludge like Obamacare was absolutely guaranteed to produce results like this. It would be disingenuous to call it unanticipated side-effects or something of the sort. I keep having flashbacks from the run-up to W’s Iraq invasion.
Well, at least now perhaps we might be spared listening to oblivious idiots talking about how Obama got us “universal care” (not really, they will still be oblivious).
Actually, the people being hurt are being excluded not because of the ACA legislation, but because the Supreme Court ruled that the clause that mandates states to expend medicaide was not legal. The states then had the option to opt out. In it’s original form, ACA would be covering these people. I don’t think that anyone expected the Supreme Court ruling the way they did. most thought it would come out as an all or nothing ruling.
“No one could have anticipated…” Now where have I heard that before?
Actually, even if the court had ruled the other way on that particular issue, many people would still be (and are) falling through the cracks for other reasons. No point in ranting now, though — the damage is done and won’t be repaired in what’s left of my lifetime. Well, except to say that being “covered” never meant actually getting healthcare to begin with.