Right, that's why the ACA as constructed had an individual mandate requiring (nearly) everyone to obtain coverage or pay a penalty. That way you would cut down on the free rider problem of folks (especially young people) only signing up for coverage (and paying premiums) when they knew they would need to use their insurance. Perhaps unsurprisingly the mandate proved to be politically unpopular -- folks don't like the government telling them what to do -- eventhough it was designed to keep premium costs down for everyone. After a lot of legal and political challenges to it, Congress removed the penalty, though the mandate still technically exists.
That's definitely a big reason. Twelve states (mostly in the South) still haven't expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Over 2 million uninsured people who live in those states are in the "coverage gap" (they can't qualify for Medicaid or for ACA Marketplace coverage) because their states haven't expanded. Moreover, of the 27.4 million people who remained uninsured in 2020, more than 6 in 10 are, in fact, eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or for subsidized private coverage through the ACA Marketplace. They either don’t know it or haven’t signed up, which shows why effective outreach is important. There would be many fewer uninsured if those eligible took up Medicaid and ACA coverage.
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Right, that's why the ACA as constructed had an individual mandate requiring (nearly) everyone to obtain coverage or pay a penalty. That way you would cut down on the free rider problem of folks (especially young people) only signing up for coverage (and paying premiums) when they knew they would need to use their insurance. Perhaps unsurprisingly the mandate proved to be politically unpopular -- folks don't like the government telling them what to do -- eventhough it was designed to keep premium costs down for everyone. After a lot of legal and political challenges to it, Congress removed the penalty, though the mandate still technically exists.
Post: Affordable Care?
Link to comment from April 6, 2022
That's definitely a big reason. Twelve states (mostly in the South) still haven't expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Over 2 million uninsured people who live in those states are in the "coverage gap" (they can't qualify for Medicaid or for ACA Marketplace coverage) because their states haven't expanded. Moreover, of the 27.4 million people who remained uninsured in 2020, more than 6 in 10 are, in fact, eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or for subsidized private coverage through the ACA Marketplace. They either don’t know it or haven’t signed up, which shows why effective outreach is important. There would be many fewer uninsured if those eligible took up Medicaid and ACA coverage.
Post: Affordable Care?
Link to comment from April 6, 2022