蘑菇视频

This is the fourth entry in a series of posts highlighting 骋颁翱鈥檚 new report – Increasing Access to Quality Healthcare for Low-Income Uninsured 蘑菇视频ns. The first entry provided an overview of the report, the second looked at 蘑菇视频鈥檚 healthcare safety net, and the third explained the impact of uninsurance.聽

Medicaid is the country鈥檚 main public health insurance program for low-income families and individuals, including children, parents, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. A joint federal/state program, the federal government sets mandatory eligibility groups and general guidelines for benefits, while states establish individual eligibility criteria within federal standards.

The 蘑菇视频 Department of Community Health projects that over 1.8 million 蘑菇视频ns will enroll in Medicaid and PeachCare in 2014 鈥� 18.56 percent of the state population. The Department estimates that the state will spend $2.85 billion on these programs 鈥� 15.57 percent of state revenue. The federal government will cover the remaining $6.65 billion for a total expenditure of $9.5 billion. ^[i]

In 2010, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act or ACA). The expansion of Medicaid eligibility to all nonelderly adults who make up to 138 percent of FPL is a major component of the law. In 2012, the Supreme Court found the ACA鈥檚 Medicaid expansion to be unconstitutionally coercive of states. As a result of the ruling, expanding Medicaid is now optional for states.

蘑菇视频 Governor Nathan Deal and the General Assembly have chosen not to expand Medicaid because of the cost to the state and unsustainability of the federal contribution.

An estimated 534,000 uninsured adults in 蘑菇视频 making less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level fall in the expansion 鈥渃overage gap.鈥� These uninsured individuals would be newly eligible for Medicaid under the expansion but will likely continue to have limited access to affordable health coverage without a change in the state鈥檚 expansion decision or other health policy changes. ^[ii]

骋颁翱鈥檚 new healthcare access report focuses on identifying sustainable solutions to improve healthcare for these individuals.

[i] Clyde L. Reese III and Jerry Dubberly, 鈥溎⒐绞悠� Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids,鈥� 蘑菇视频 Department of Community Health, Presentation to 蘑菇视频 General Assembly Joint Study Committee on Medicaid Reform, August 28, 2013, 11, 33, https://www.house.ga.gov/Documents/CommitteeDocuments/2013/MedicaidReform/DCH%20PP%20Presentation_Medicaid%20Reform%20Study%20Committee_082813.pdf.
 

[ii] Genevieve M. Kenney et al., 鈥淥pting in to the Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Who Are the Uninsured Adults Who Could Gain Health Insurance Coverage?,鈥� Timely Analysis of Immediate Health Policy Issues, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute, August 2012, 18, .