MEDICAID AND ACA PROPOSED RULES
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 (Affordable Care Act) 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 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) explained the impacts of Medicaid cuts and its effects on entire communities. When Medicaid funding is decreased, health care providers can decrease the number of services or shut down, affecting not just Medicaid patients but everyone in the area. This is especially harmful in rural areas and for people with disabilities where Medicaid plays a key role in keeping clinics and hospitals open.
The Commonwealth Fund (TCF) reviewed how the current proposed rules will make enrollees in ACA plans pay more for their healthcare coverage. Overall, changes include shortening the open enrollment period, getting rid of the special enrollment option for low-income populations, and needing more paperwork to qualify for coverage. The scheduled expiration of enhanced premium tax credits at the end of 2025 will most likely cause higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs for enrollees, especially people with disabilities.
TCF noted how proposed cuts to Medicaid could cause one in five children currently enrolled to lose their health insurance. These cuts would greatly impact children with special health needs, those in rural areas, and communities of color, who rely on Medicaid for essential care.
The CHIRblog reviewed the “Marketplace Integrity” rule and found that it could make it harder for people to sign up for health insurance by cutting special enrollment options and adding paperwork. Stakeholders like insurers and brokers worry these changes could cause many to lose coverage.
The Georgetown Center for Children and Families (CCF) covered how getting rid of the 2024 Medicaid Eligibility and Enrollment Rule would harm people with disabilities by making it harder to stay enrolled in coverage. The rule simplifies enrollment, prevents coverage gaps, and uses modern tools to reduce paperwork and errors. Decreasing the impacts of the rule would increase administrative burdens and cause people to lose healthcare insurance.
TCF highlighted the importance of Medicaid and its role in providing healthcare coverage to all states, as it provides essential health care to low-income Americans and results in increased positive health outcomes. It also supports jobs in health care and related industries, helping to assist local economies.
A new report from KFF highlights that states like Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina are at risk of federal Medicaid cuts because of how much they rely on federal funding. These states also face challenges such as poorer health outcomes and higher poverty rates and make potential federal Medicaid cuts a threat to their healthcare systems and budgets.
KFF has updated their tracker on the Section 1115 waiver, that addresses social factors like housing and nutrition. The current administration is aiming to get rid of guidance on health-related social needs and phasing out specific federal funding programs, showing an emphasis on more restrictive Medicaid policies.
Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website.