Who Will Be Uninsured After Health Insurance Reform?
According to a recent study by the Urban Institute, 23 million people will still be uninsured after The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is fully implemented.
40 percent of those 23 million would be eligible for, but not enrolled in, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). A further 22 percent would be undocumented immigrants.
The majority of those uninsured—19 of the 23 million—would be nonelderly adults:
-Thirty-seven percent—mostly young singles without dependents–would be eligible for Medicaid, but not enrolled.
-Twenty-five percent would be undocumented immigrants.
-Sixteen percent would be exempt from the individual mandate because they would not have an affordable insurance option.
-Eight percent would be eligible for affordable subsidized coverage in the health benefit exchanges.
-The remaining 15 percent–most higher-income families with dependents–would likely be subject to the mandate, having an affordable private insurance option despite not qualifying for a subsidy.
I think the individual mandate is the central provision of the whole bill and if they are not willing to make compromises on this particular provison then the future of the whole system will remain unclear.