MARKETPLACE RULES AND AFFORDABILITY
The CHIRblog covered in a blog how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized policy changes to Affordable Care Act (ACA) and health insurance Marketplaces to stop “fraud, waste, and abuse.” This could lead to almost 1.8 million people losing coverage by 2026 and decrease spending on premium tax credits, which help people with disabilities afford healthcare through the Marketplace.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released an issue brief on how the Senate added $50 billion in funding “rural health transformation programs” in the new Reconciliation Law passed on July 4, 2025. The American Association on Health and Disability covered the importance of Medicaid coverage for people with disabilities in rural areas on their BlueSky account, noting that almost 1 in 5 adults with disabilities in rural areas use Medicaid for healthcare coverage. While this might seem like good news amongst the major cuts to Medicaid, this funding is temporary, not properly regulated, and only states who apply can get this funding.
Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families (CFF) went through the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health’s state-by-state maternal mental health report cards that summarizes how each state is doing in a blog post. They found that those who rated their mental health as “poor or fair” increased from 19% in 2016 to 26% in 2023. Research shows that continuous coverage in the postpartum period increases mental health outcomes – cuts to Medicaid will make this increase.
KFF released an issue brief on problems with health care costs. In this brief, KFF polling found that:
- Over half of U.S. adults say it’s hard to afford healthcare
- Some people will put off the care they need because of the cost
- 4 in 10 adults have debt because of health care
KFF continues to update their Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers tracker by state. These waivers, as reported in an issue brief from KFF, help states be flexible in providing coverage for people. These waivers are important for people with disabilities and can increase access to coverage.
The Commonwealth Fund covered in a blog how the CMS Innovation Center will be working on new ways to promote behavioral health through evidence-based intervention programs, transparent data, and using more community-based approaches.
CCFs blog covered a Frequently Asked Question sheet from CMS on school-based health services. These services support student health and long-term wellbeing, as reported in a study that found that increased attendance for schools with health centers led to improved mental health outcomes.
The disability community utilizes Medicaid, and the ACA Marketplace plans at a higher rate than those without disabilities due to their unique needs. Due to this, the NDNRC wants to make sure that people with disabilities are aware of changes to their healthcare due to major funding cuts to federal healthcare programs.
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.
Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website.