The NDNRC wants to make sure that people with disabilities are aware of potential changes to their healthcare with the new administration taking office. The disability community utilizes Medicaid, and the ACA Marketplace plans at a higher rate than those without disabilities due to their unique needs.
By updating this newsletter with resources and educational pieces on where disability health policies stand, we hope to ensure that the disability community continues to have access to accessible and affordable healthcare coverage no matter what changes occur in the foreseeable future.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released a congressional district interactive map on how much Affordable Care Act premium payments will increase once the enhanced subsidies expire and are not renewed. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that there will be 3.8 million more uninsured people once these subsidies expire.
KFF also took a look at Medicaid enrollment and finances of the largest Medicaid managed care plans. This article reviewed Medicaid enrollment, Medicaid revenue and medical loss rations, member acuity and utilization trends. Overall, the rate and changes to cost are temporary but could last for the rest of the year.
As an FYI for those who missed Open Enrollment, if enrollment or changes need to be made, people with disabilities who are looking for a Marketplace plan would need to qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). Common SEPs, but not a definitive list, can be due to changes in:
- Income
- Employment
- Healthcare coverage
- Household size
As a part of our partnership with the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), we have updated Factsheets 1 through 16, excluding Factsheet 6; people with disabilities should read topic and population specific sheets.
The Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families (CCF) evaluated how Medicaid provider taxes are a major course of funding for states. This article reviewed how decreasing the use of these taxes would cut a lot of state funding for Medicaid and its importance in maintaining coverage for those covered through Medicaid expansion program.
KFF discussed the intersection of Medicaid and work requirements, as the new administration continues to make changes to health policy laws and regulations. Overall, this data found that Medicaid adults who work full-time can get Medicaid in expansion states due to their low-wage jobs and income eligibility criteria.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) continued to assess Medicaid work requirements and noted that they could put over 36 million people at risk of losing health coverage. This number represents about 44% of the total Medicaid enrollees. Of this number, 20 million utilize ACA Medicaid expansion, and 16 million are enrolled through non-expansion adult eligibility pathways.
CBPP also took a look at how budget cuts could affect vulnerable populations, like the disability community through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The program already has limited reach, with only 1 in 5 families that have income under the federal poverty line eligible for TANF support.
KFF also reviewed federal health data that was removed from multiple federal websites to comply with recent executive orders. Health information intended for public access is essential for public health education and the removal could lead to issues with public health interventions.
Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website.