Considerations for a local health insurance option in Medicaid non-expansion states

Considerations for a local health insurance option in Medicaid non-expansion states

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Series Title(s):
Issue brief (Milbank Memorial Fund)
Author(s):
Meyer, Jack, author
Powers, Matt, author
Leibowitz, Nora, author
Contributor(s):
Milbank Memorial Fund, issuing body.
Publication:
New York, NY : Milbank Memorial Fund, February 2022
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Health Insurance Exchanges
Insurance Coverage
Insurance, Health
Local Government
Medicaid
United States
United States.
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
An estimated 3 million non-elderly poor adults in the 12 states that have elected not to expand Medicaid eligibility are uninsured. These uninsured adults frequently lack meaningful access to health care outside of the emergency room and other critical providers. In this brief, we propose a coverage option to fill the gap while the debate over Medicaid expansion continues in these states. Recognizing the critical role that local entities and health providers are required to play in funding care for this population, our proposal is to allow elected officials in a locality (county, city, or groups of counties) to establish an optional insurance program that takes advantage of the Affordable Care Act marketplace infrastructure and, like Medicaid expansion, is 90% funded by the federal government. This kind of program--referred to in this brief as the Local Choice Option--could provide a comprehensive insurance product that promotes appropriate access to health care and better health outcomes by repurposing funding now used only for direct care to provide health care more efficiently. This flexible program supports local customization and creates an alternative to an open-ended entitlement program in states where that is not currently politically tenable.
Copyright:
Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (9 pages, 1 unnumbered page))
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
9918453688706676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918453688706676