The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act presents new opportunities for millions of uninsured Americans to get covered, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report.
Before the PPACA was implemented, more than 47 million Americans, or 18 percent of the population, didn't have health insurance, mainly because they couldn't afford it, according to the report. The healthcare reform law addresses that barrier by offering premium subsidies for those earning as much as 400 percent of the federal poverty level and by giving states the option of expanding their Medicaid programs.
As uninsured people gain coverage, there will likely be changes in how often and where they seek care, as well as the type of care they seek. Here are three observations from the Kaiser Family Foundation on how the uninsured population's care-seeking behavior will probably change as they get coverage.
1. There will be pent-up demand for healthcare services among the newly covered. Nearly half (49 percent) of uninsured people report postponing needed care, compared with 28 percent of those with employer coverage and 36 percent of those with nongroup or individual coverage.
2. Outreach may be needed to link newly insured people to regular providers and establish a pattern of regular preventive care. Only 51 percent of uninsured adults say they have a usual source of care. Furthermore, only 33 percent have a regular physician, half the rate of the insured population.
3. Low- and moderate-income families may continue to struggle with healthcare costs, even after gaining insurance. Even after gaining health insurance coverage, healthcare costs can still be a burden. About one-third of low- and moderate-income adults with employer-based coverage report their share of care costs is somewhat or very hard to afford; 58 percent of those with individual or nongroup coverage say the same. This shows that while gaining health insurance coverage will help low-income people, it won't eliminate their financial challenges.
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