News Intro Text
24 states have refused the expansion, although a few are reconsidering that decision. Without such a change in state policy, “5.7 million people will be deprived of health insurance coverage in 2016.”[1]
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<p>by Fred Kammer, SJ</p>
<p> The Affordable Care Act (ACA) had three major provisions to promote expanded health coverage to Americans: a mandate for employers with fifty or more full-time employees to provide health insurance; an individual mandate to purchase insurance (with federal subsidies to assist families with incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level); and expansion of Medicaid coverage to all individuals with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level. (138% of the federal poverty line is now $16,105 per year for an individual or $27,310 for a family of three.) In addition, the ACA created on line markets (“exchanges”) to promote insurance competition, prevented exclusion of people from coverage for pre-existing conditions, eliminated annual or lifetime dollar limits on insurance benefits, and allowed young adults to remain on their parents’ plans until 26 years old.</p>
<p> In June, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court broke with decades of Medicaid law and provided that the Medicaid expansion was optional for the states. Since then, 26 states and the District of Columbia have chosen to implement the Medicaid Expansion, with the federal government absorbing 100% of the cost for the first three years. The federal share declines to, and remains at, 90% by the year 2021. Participating states must assume the balance. <a href="https://t.e2ma.net/webview/r0wkf/6f57e7798f5f657d8b14ce8b8b28b0b7">MORE>></a></p>
<p> The Affordable Care Act (ACA) had three major provisions to promote expanded health coverage to Americans: a mandate for employers with fifty or more full-time employees to provide health insurance; an individual mandate to purchase insurance (with federal subsidies to assist families with incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level); and expansion of Medicaid coverage to all individuals with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level. (138% of the federal poverty line is now $16,105 per year for an individual or $27,310 for a family of three.) In addition, the ACA created on line markets (“exchanges”) to promote insurance competition, prevented exclusion of people from coverage for pre-existing conditions, eliminated annual or lifetime dollar limits on insurance benefits, and allowed young adults to remain on their parents’ plans until 26 years old.</p>
<p> In June, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court broke with decades of Medicaid law and provided that the Medicaid expansion was optional for the states. Since then, 26 states and the District of Columbia have chosen to implement the Medicaid Expansion, with the federal government absorbing 100% of the cost for the first three years. The federal share declines to, and remains at, 90% by the year 2021. Participating states must assume the balance. <a href="https://t.e2ma.net/webview/r0wkf/6f57e7798f5f657d8b14ce8b8b28b0b7">MORE>></a></p>