The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act aims to extend coverage to low-income Americans by expanding Medicaid to cover people earning as much as 138 percent of the federal poverty level.
However, 24 states aren't moving forward with Medicaid expansion under the PPACA at this time. That means millions will be left without an affordable health insurance coverage option this year. Here are three key statistics on the impact of states' decisions not to extend Medicaid eligibility, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
1. If states that are not moving forward with expansion decided to do so, an additional 7.6 million uninsured, low-income adults would become eligible for Medicaid.
2. Of that 7.6 million, 2.8 million would be eligible for subsidies to help cover the cost of health insurance exchange plan premiums. These subsidies or tax credits are available to people earning between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
3. The remaining 4.8 million would not have a new path to affordable coverage under the PPACA if their states don't expand Medicaid.
More Articles on Medicaid Expansion:
Louisiana Senate Committee Votes Against Medicaid Expansion
Kansas Medicaid Expansion Not an Option Until at Least 2015
Poll: Medicaid Expansion, State Exchanges Yield Bigger Uninsured Rate Reductions