How did the Affordable Care Act affect health insurance coverage among the working poor?

Asked by: Andrew Haag  |  Last update: February 18, 2023
Score: 4.7/5 (33 votes)

After implementation of the ACA, the number of people without health insurance in the US declined by 13.3 million from late 2013 through 2017. However, the uninsured population rose by 1.9 million between 2017 and 2018, to 27.5 million people.

How did the Affordable Care Act affect healthcare?

The ACA enabled people to gain coverage by 1) expanding the publicly funded Medicaid program to cover adults with annual incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level; 2) establishing the Health Insurance Marketplace for individuals and small businesses, allowing them to purchase private health insurance (PHI); and 3 ...

How did the Affordable Care Act benefit individuals who are unemployed?

The subsidies that are now available through the Affordable Care Act marketplace were authorized in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, which was enacted in March. Anyone who has received unemployment benefits this year could qualify for the free (or nearly free) coverage, even if they are working again.

In what ways does the Affordable Care Act impact the healthcare industry the insurance industry?

The American Rescue Plan Act introduced the boosted subsidies for the 2021 and 2022 coverage year. It ensured that people who previously did not qualify for income-based subsidies won't pay more than 8.5% of their income on healthcare costs.

How does Obama care help the poor?

Obamacare includes subsidies to help lower income individuals cover the cost of their plans. These subsidies, also known as tax credits, are still in effect in 2021. premiums to 8.5% of the income of those that fell into this income bracket. best coverage for your needs and budget.

Here's Why the Affordable Care Act Is So Controversial | History

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What are the problems with the Affordable Care Act?

The Problem: Affordability

The ACA set standards for “affordability,” but millions remain uninsured or underinsured due to high costs, even with subsidies potentially available. High deductibles and increases in consumer cost sharing have chipped away at the affordability of ACA-compliant plans.

Who benefited most from Obamacare?

More than 20 million Americans gained health insurance under the ACA. Black Americans, children and small-business owners have especially benefited. Thirty-seven states have expanded Medicaid, deepening their pool of eligible residents to those who live at or below 138% of the federal poverty level.

What is the Affordable Care Act and how does it work?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a comprehensive reform law, enacted in 2010, that increases health insurance coverage for the uninsured and implements reforms to the health insurance market. This includes many provisions that are consistent with AMA policy and holds the potential for a better health care system.

Why the Affordable Care Act failed?

Not only did the ACA fail to control the rising cost of insurance, but it also failed to make health care and prescribed medicines affordable. According to a West Health and Gallup, 30 percent of surveyed individuals did not seek needed medical treatment due to the cost from September to October 2021.

Is the Affordable Care Act beneficial?

The ACA supports public health prevention efforts. It created the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which has paid for public health efforts across the country. The ACA requires insurance policies to cover essential health benefits that can help prevent serious, costly conditions.

Why the Affordable Care Act is good?

By expanding coverage, the ACA will expand access to needed medical care. Greater access to care as a result of being insured has been shown to reduce mortality, improve mental health, and improve self-reported health status.

Why affordable healthcare is important?

Without access to affordable coverage, we will see more Americans forego or delay necessary medical care, putting millions of lives at risk and driving up costs to the system.

How did the ACA fail to provide access to healthcare for all individuals?

It largely failed. Health insurance markets are only afloat because of massive federal subsidies and premiums and out-of-pocket obligations significantly increased for families. While the ACA has led to about 13 million more people with Medicaid, many more have been harmed.

Why do doctors dislike Obamacare?

Dr. Richard Amerling, a New York City physician who is president of the AAPS, said Obamacare has set up a “bad business model” for private physicians. Doctors, he said, can't adjust their rates to keep up with expenses. In addition, electronic record keeping is a burden both in terms of cost and time.

Who pays for the Affordable Care Act?

Under the ACA, the federal government pays 100 percent of the coverage costs for those newly insured under Medicaid expansion. After 2016, the federal share shrinks to 90 percent, which is still considerably more than the pre-ACA level.

Has Obamacare worked statistics?

Obamacare Statistics and ACA's Impact on Insurance Rates

According to research, premium increases have averaged 4.5% from 2006 to 2010. This increase has been steady at 3.6% since 2012. The latest premiums of the Affordable Care Act are at its lowest it has been since its inception.

Why should we repeal the ACA?

Striking down the ACA would also impede efforts to address the public health crisis. And eliminating the ACA's protections for people with pre-existing conditions could make it harder for the more than 7 million people who've had COVID to obtain affordable, comprehensive coverage in the future.

What are the key features of the Affordable Care Act?

NEW CONSUMER PROTECTIONS
  • Putting Information for Consumers Online. ...
  • Prohibiting Denying Coverage of Children Based on PreExisting Conditions. ...
  • Prohibiting Insurance Companies from Rescinding Coverage. ...
  • Eliminating Lifetime Limits on Insurance Coverage. ...
  • Regulating Annual Limits on Insurance Coverage.

What does the Affordable Care Act do quizlet?

more widely known as the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. The act was enacted to expand coverage, hold insurance companies more accountable, lower healthcare costs, give people more choice for insurance, and increase the quality of healthcare/ health insurance.

What are the 4 key elements of the Affordable Care Act?

The Affordable Care Act: A Brief Summary - March 2011
  • Expand Access to Insurance Coverage. ...
  • Increase Consumer Insurance Protections. ...
  • Emphasize Prevention and Wellness. ...
  • Improve Health Quality and System Performance. ...
  • Curb Rising Health Costs.

How many people benefited from Affordable Care Act?

New Reports Show Record 35 Million People Enrolled in Coverage Related to the Affordable Care Act, with Historic 21 Million People Enrolled in Medicaid Expansion Coverage.

Who was most impacted by the Affordable Care Act?

Since the enactment of the ACA, Latinos have experienced the largest gain in health coverage among all racial and ethnic groups. Changes in the uninsured rate between the fourth quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2015 (based on Gallup-Healthways surveys) are summarized in Table 1.

Why is the Affordable Care Act controversial?

The ACA has been highly controversial, despite the positive outcomes. Conservatives objected to the tax increases and higher insurance premiums needed to pay for Obamacare. Some people in the healthcare industry are critical of the additional workload and costs placed on medical providers.

What are the two key issues that the ACA tried to accomplish?

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has 3 main objectives: (1) to reform the private insurance market—especially for individuals and small-group purchasers, (2) to expand Medicaid to the working poor with income up to 133% of the federal poverty level, and (3) to change the way that medical decisions ...

What are some of the effects of a lack of affordable and reliable health insurance for all?

Because uninsured patients are also less likely to receive necessary follow-up screenings than their insured counterparts,8 they have an increased risk of being diagnosed at later stages of diseases, including cancer, and have higher mortality rates than those with insurance.