A study recently released by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health shows that states which have expanded their Medicaid coverage to include more people from needy populations have a lower death rate than neighbor states who failed to enact similar expansions.
This study shows that after Arizona, Maine, and New York expanded their Medicaid coverage in 2001 and 2002, those states had a significantly lower average death rate than their neighbors. The states saw a decline of just over 6% in the death rate for people aged between 20 to 64. The rate was even higher in low income and minority groups.
Currently, many states are debating whether to enact the Medicaid expansion provisions under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. While the Supreme Court recently released a decision which stated law was constitutional, it also stated that the Medicaid enforcement provisions of the law were not. This effectively allows each state to determine if it wants to adopt the expansion or opt out of it. Though some states have already enacted the expanded provisions which were set to take place in 2014, some state governors have expressed their intention not to do so.
Under the expansion, Medicaid eligibility would be determined based on whether an individual or family made up to 130% of the federal poverty level, an amount equal to about $30,600 for a family of four. If all states adopted the expansion about 15 to 16 million more people would become covered under Medicaid.
If you’re concerned about your ability to qualify for Medicaid or if you’re under the impression that you have to lose your home in North Carolina to qualify for Medicaid, we can help! Call us today to set a Medicaid Planning appointment – 336.547.9999.
