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

Background

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law in March of 2010.  Millions of Americans have already benefitted from many of the law’s 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.

Publications

Current publications:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  The percentage of insured children has increased for three years since CHIP’s reauthorization in February 2009.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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%.
• 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 Act’s 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.
• 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.
• 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.