For the study, researchers examined data for 606,277 adults age 18 to 64 with a chronic disease. This data came solely from the first year of the ACA’s major coverage expansion provisions.
Researchers found the number of insured chronically ill Americans increased by 4.9 percentage points after the implementation of ACA provisions on Jan. 1, 2014. Additionally, the number of chronically ill Americans not having to forgo a physician visit increased by 2.4 percentage points, and the number of chronically ill Americans having a checkup increased by 2.7 percentage points. However, researchers said the number of chronically ill Americans having a personal physician did not change after the ACA was implemented.
They noted that outcomes varied considerably by state, and insurance coverage increased more in states that expanded Medicaid. According to the study, racial/ethnic minorities had greater improvements in some outcomes, but approximately 1 in 5 black and 1 in 3 Hispanic chronically ill Americans continued to lack insurance coverage and access to care after ACA implementation.
“Although the ACA increased coverage and access for persons with chronic disease, substantial gaps remain, particularly for minorities and those in Medicaid nonexpansion states,” researchers concluded.
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