New AHRQ Study Finds Adults Newly Eligible for Medicaid Under Affordable Care Act Healthier Than Previous Enrollees

A new AHRQ study published in Health Affairs indicates that adults newly eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act are, overall, at least as healthy as patients already enrolled in Medicaid. The authors said Medicaid-eligible adults not enrolled in Medicaid are generally healthier than the pre-Affordable Care Act Medicaid population, a finding that could help the 25 states that have not yet expanded their Medicaid programs understand what services new enrollees are likely to need. The authors used AHRQ’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data and simulation modeling to compare the health status of three groups of non-disabled adults who are now Medicaid eligible: those newly eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, adults enrolled in Medicaid prior to the Affordable Care Act and adults who were eligible for Medicaid prior to the Affordable Care Act but not enrolled. The study found that both the newly eligibles and the adults previously eligible but not enrolled were generally healthier than those already enrolled in Medicaid. The study and abstract, “Adults in the Income Range for the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid Expansion Are Healthier Than Pre-ACA Medicaid Enrollees,” was published online March 26.

See 1 citation found by title matching your search:

2014 Apr;33(4):691-9. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0743. Epub 2014 Mar 26.

Adults In The Income Range For The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid Expansion Are Healthier Than Pre-ACAEnrollees.

Hill SC, Abdus S, Hudson JL, Selden TM.

Abstract

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has dramatically increased the number of low-income nonelderly adults eligible for Medicaid. Starting in 2014, states can elect to cover individuals and families with modified adjusted gross incomes below a threshold of 133 percent of federal poverty guidelines, with a 5 percent income disregard. We used simulation methods and data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to compare nondisabled adultsenrolled in Medicaid prior to the ACA with two other groups: adults who were eligible for Medicaid but not enrolled in it, and adults who were in theincome range for the ACA's Medicaid expansion and thus newly eligible for coverage. Although differences in health across the groups were not large, both the newly eligible and those eligible before the ACA but not enrolled were healthier on several measures than pre-ACA enrollees. Twenty-five states have opted not to use the ACA to expand Medicaid eligibility. If these states reverse their decisions, their Medicaid programs might not enroll a population that is sicker than their pre-ACA enrollees. By expanding Medicaid eligibility, states could provide coverage to millions of healthier adultsas well as to millions who have chronic conditions and who need care.