With Affordable Care Act Comes Big Jump In Marylanders With Health Insurance
The share of Marylanders with health insurance grew at nearly twice the national rate over the past year, showing the effectiveness of the Affordable Care Act in promoting better health and a stronger economy.
From 2013 to 2014, the number of Marylanders without health coverage declined by 39.5 percent, leaving the share lacking insurance in the state at an all-time low of 7.8 percent, according to Gallup’s Healthways Well-Being Index. Nationwide, the share of the population without health insurance fell by 20.2 percent. The 13.8 percent of Americans without coverage dropped to the lowest rate across the seven years of the Well-Being Index measurement.
Maryland was an early adopter of state options offered by the Affordable Care Act, including implementing a state-based health insurance exchange and expanding Medicaid – both of which enabled far more people to get private or public insurance than previously possible. After overcoming challenges during its rollout, the Maryland Health Connection (MHC) exchange has made it easier to comparison shop for health insurance plans. Additionally, the MCH made federal subsidies to purchase health plans much more accessible for residents, and signing up for public coverage through Medicaid a non-burdensome process.
Access to quality, affordable health insurance is critical for the wellbeing of all Marylanders. Uninsured Americans receive about half as much health care as those with coverage, even after controlling for age, income, health status, and the availability of free care. As a result, those without health insurance are far less likely to have a regular health care provider and are significantly less likely to get preventive care, testing, and screenings for cancer and other conditions. Having more people with insurance reduces sickness and death rates because it makes it less likely people will avoid seeking medical attention out of concern they can’t afford it.
People lacking insurance also are less likely to seek follow-up care recommended by their doctors when they have been treated for a medical condition, and this can substantially decrease the effectiveness of the health care they receive.
Despite Maryland having the highest median household income in the country, the rate of health insurance among residents has not been notably better than the national average.
The Affordable Care Act has clearly proven itself to be an effective tool for increasing the rate of Marylanders with health insurance. It is also cost effective for the state, as the federal government is covering all the costs of expansion through 2017, and at least 90 percent after that. It’s also good for the economy, both in terms of workers being healthier and more productive, and creating thousands of new jobs in health-related fields to meet growing public demand.
