PROPOSED CUTS TO THE ACA
The NDNRC wants to make sure that people with disabilities are aware of potential changes to their healthcare as the current administration proposes major funding cuts to federal healthcare programs. 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 CHIRblog covered in their blog changes that the new administration would make, specifically cuts to ACA outreach and enrollment assistance. These are incredibly useful tools and resources for people with disabilities in navigating the Marketplace, and the 90% cut in funding will increase barriers in coverage access.
The House budget bill combined with the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits, which allow people to access affordable healthcare through the Marketplace, will make it harder for people with disabilities to enroll in the Marketplace, as covered in a blog by the Commonwealth Fund (TCF).
According to a blog from the CHIRblog, federal attempts in stopping improper payments, also known as fraud, in the Marketplace, could be solved through simple solutions like better and clear rules for brokers, instead of reducing funding and making it harder for people to enroll in coverage.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) hosted a webinar on how the current administration and Congress are changing the ACA for each state. This webinar can be viewed with slides and transcripts in the KFF newsroom.
KFF continues to update their Medicaid Watch series, this time covering the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) estimates of coverage loss in the Marketplace and Medicaid. The CBO estimates that the bill would result in 10.9 million people without health insurance. This combined with if the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits are not renewed, over 16 million people will be uninsured by 2034.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) updated research on tracking state tax cuts, discussing case studies and analysis of tax cuts.
The CHIRblog covered in a blog how increased paperwork and complicated enrollment verification could lead to the loss of coverage for low-income families, laid off workers, and marginalized communities, like the disability community. This blog also covered the cuts to premium tax credits that allow people to affordably enroll in the ACA – these cuts could lead to about 4 million people losing coverage.
TCF released an issue brief that went over how policymakers must act in increasing Medicaid enrollment through the expansion of continuous eligibility and giving more assistance to people who are looking for coverage renewals.
Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families released a blog in which they covered how the House reconciliation budget will impact the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These changes will keep children, especially children with disabilities who use CHIP, from accessing affordable coverage.
CBPP published research on how policymakers can support the workforce through increases in tax credits, protecting food, health, and providing housing assistance for low- and middle-income households.
Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website.