The Affordable Care Act
Research Briefs
This project is available on the Internet at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2012/ACA-Research/index.shtml
The Affordable Care Act was signed into law in March of 2010. Millions
of Americans have already benefitted from many of the laws provisions
including coverage for preventive health services, ban on lifetime limits,
and insurance coverage for young adults. The expansion of Medicaid
coverage and launch of Affordable Insurance Exchanges will help millions
more in 2014. ASPE created this series of research and issue briefs
to analyze the impact of the Affordable Care Act.
Current publications:
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Number of Young Adults Gaining Insurance Due to the Affordable Care Act Now Tops 3 Million,
Issue Brief, June 2012. (PDF version,
2 pages)
New survey findings released today by the National Center for Health Statistics show that the extension of dependent health coverage up to age 26 continues to lead to greater rates of insurance coverage among young adults. This policy is one part of the Affordable Care Act, and it took effect for insurance plan renewals beginning on September 23, 2010.
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The Affordable Care Act and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,
Research Brief, May
2012. (PDF version,
8 pages)
New estimates from RAND suggest that 2.0 million out of the 2.5 million Asian Americans
who would otherwise be uninsured will gain or be eligible for coverage in 2016 through
the Affordable Care Act. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are already benefitting
from the expansion of preventive services with no cost-sharing in both private health
insurance and Medicare.
-
The Affordable Care
Act and African Americans, Research Brief, April
2012. (PDF version,
6 pages)
New estimates from RAND suggest that 3.8 million African Americans who would
otherwise be uninsured will gain coverage by 2016 through the Affordable
Care Act. African Americans will gain improved access to preventive
health services and community health centers and improved maintenance of
chronic diseases.
-
The Affordable Care Act and
Latinos, Research Brief, April 2012.
(PDF version, 7 pages).
En español
(Versión en PDF, 7
Páginas)
An estimated 30.7% of Latinos are uninsured, compared with 16.3% of all
Americans. The Affordable Care Act includes several provisions to
significantly improve the health outcomes of Latinos.
-
Uninsured Young Adults
and the Affordable Care Act, Research Brief, March
2012. (PDF version, 2
pages)
The Affordable Care Act is beneficial for young adults aged 19-25 who previously
were more than twice as likely as other adults to lose private health insurance
coverage. The law helps to provide stable health insurance.
-
The Affordable Care Act and
Women, Research Brief, March 2012.
(PDF version, 7 pages)
The Affordable Care Act ensures that women will not pay more for the same
insurance coverage as men and will provide insurance to an estimated 13 million
more women by 2016. Women also gain improved access to maternity coverage,
preventative health services, and Medicaid coverage.
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The Affordable Care Act and
Participation Rates in Medicaid, Issue Brief, March
2012. (PDF version, 7 pages)
The Affordable Care Act extends Medicaid eligibility to all US citizens and
other qualified residents with family incomes at or below 133% of the federal
poverty level. This brief provides estimates of projected Medicaid
enrollment rates under the ACA.
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Expanded Insurance Coverage
For Young Adults of All Races and Ethnicities, Issue
Brief, March 2012. (PDF
version, 2 pages)
The Affordable Care Act allows young adults to remain on their parents
insurance plans until the age of 26. A JAMA research study finds that
an additional 2.9% of all young adults gained access to health care, with
larger increases for minority groups.
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105 Million Americans No Longer
Face Lifetime Limits on Health Benefits, Issue Brief,
March 2012. (PDF version, 6
pages)
The Affordable Care Act prohibits health plans from imposing a lifetime dollar
limit on most benefits received by Americans in any health plan renewing
on or after September 23, 2010. Lifetime limits had previously affected
105 million Americans.
-
ACA and Preventive Services
Coverage Without Cost-Sharing, Issue Brief, February
2012. (PDF version, 4
pages)
The Affordable Care Act requires insurance companies to provide coverage
and eliminate cost-sharing for preventive services such as colonoscopies,
Pap smears, and flu shots. More than 54 million American men, women,
and children of all ages may now receive such services without cost sharing.
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The Cost of Covering Contraceptives
through Health Insurance, Issue Brief, February 2012.
This brief reviews existing research on providing contraceptives through
public and private health insurance. It finds that providing contraception
through public programs is actually cost-saving.
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Medicare Beneficiary
Savings and the Affordable Care Act, Issue Brief, February
2012. (PDF Version,
4 pages)
The Affordable Care Act strengthens Medicare coverage for seniors while
containing Medicare spending growth. This brief details how Medicare
beneficiaries will save.
-
At Risk: Pre-Existing
Conditions Could Affect 1 in 2 Americans, 129 Million People
Could Be Denied Affordable Coverage Without Health Reform, November
2011. (PDF version, 10 pages)
A new analysis from the Department of Health and Human Services predicts
that 50-129 million non-elderly Americans have a pre-existing condition.
The Affordable Care Act would prohibit insurance companies from dropping
coverage for Americans with pre-existing conditions.
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The Affordable Care Act and
Children, Issue Brief, December 2011.
(PDF version, 7 pages)
Recent results from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 1.2
million additional children have access to health insurance after the
reauthorization of the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
The percentage of insured children has increased for three years since
CHIPs reauthorization in February 2009.
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Comparing Health Benefits
Across Markets, Research Brief, December 2011.
(PDF version, 7 pages)
This brief examines benefit coverage in employer-sponsored insurance for
the small group market and State and Federal employee plans. Overall,
it appears that small group options and State and Federal employee plans
cover similar services.
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Essential Health
Benefits: Individual Market Coverage, Issue Brief,
December 2011. (PDF
version, 2 pages)
The Affordable Care Act identifies ten categories of services and items as
essential health benefits (EHBs) that will include services not frequently
covered in the individual market now. For example, more than 8.7 million
Americans will gain maternity coverage when EHBs are effective in 2014.
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Variation and Trends
in Medigap Premiums, December 2011.
(PDF version, 38 pages)
This brief shows that Medigap premiums have increased on average 3.8% a year,
compared to a 5.4% average annual increase for total Medicare spending per
beneficiary (excluding Part D spending) over the 2001 to 2010 period.
Medigap premiums vary by plan type and vary significantly among states.
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2.5 Million Young Adults
Gain Health Insurance Due to the Affordable Care Act, Issue
Brief, December 2011.
(PDF version, 2 pages)
The extension of health insurance dependent coverage until the age of 26
has increased the number of insured young adults by a larger than anticipated
2.5 million Americans. Allowing young adults between the ages of 19-25
the option to remain on their parents insurance was enacted as part
of the Affordable Care Act.
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Actuarial Value and
Employer-Sponsored Insurance, Research Brief, November
2011. (PDF version, 12 pages)
This brief explores the distribution of plan actuarial values for individuals
enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance. It finds that an overwhelming
percentage of employer-sponsored insurance plans have an actuarial value
above 60%.
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One Million Young
Adults Gain Health Insurance in 2011 Because of the Affordable Care
Act, Issue Brief, September 2011.
(PDF version, 3 pages)
The National Center for Health Statistics finds that 1 million young adults
gained insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Acts policy of
allowing young adults to remain on their parents insurance. These
estimates are consistent with other data sources such as the Current Population
Survey.
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Overview of the Uninsured
in the United States, Issue Brief, September 2011.
(PDF version, 5 pages)
The Current Population Survey finds that 49.9 million Americans were without
health insurance coverage in 2010. This brief provides overview statistics
on insurance for children, young adults, and minorities.
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The Value of Health
Insurance: Few of the Uninsured Have Adequate Resources to Pay Potential
Hospital Bills, Research Brief, May 2011.
(PDF version, 10 pages)
When the uninsured cannot afford the care they receive, the cost must be
absorbed by other payers. This brief estimates that uninsured families
can only afford to pay in full 12% of hospitalizations they might experience.
Last Revised: April 25, 2012