RAND-How Will Health Care Reform Affect Costs and Coverage: Examples from Five States
RAND researchers analyzed the possible impact the coverage provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) could have on health insurance coverage and state government spending on health care in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana and Texas.
Key findings from the report:
- The percentage of residents obtaining health care coverage will significantly increase in all five states
- There was no substantial change in employees offered insurance, but there will be a small number of employees in small firms that will obtain employer sponsored insurance through the state health insurance exchanges
- There will be a substantial number of nonelderly enrollees purchasing health insurance coverage through the state health insurance exchanges
- The majoirty of the new Medicaid enrollees will be newly eligible
- Due to heavily subsidized care for Medicaid newly eligibles, costs to states will increase for previously Medicaid eligigble enrollees
- Total state government spending on health will increase in four of the states
