ISSUE: Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), blacks and Hispanics were more likely than whites to face barriers in access to health care. GOAL: Assess the effect of the ACA’s major coverage expansions on disparities in access to care among adults. METHODS: Analysis of nationally representative data from the American Community Survey and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Between 2013 and 2015, disparities with whites narrowed for blacks and Hispanics on three key access indicators: the percentage of uninsured working-age adults, the percentage who skipped care because of costs, and the percentage who lacked a usual care provider. Disparities were narrower, and the average rate on each of the three indicators for whites, blacks, and Hispanics was lower in both 2013 and 2015 in states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA than in states that did not expand. Among Hispanics, disparities tended to narrow more between 2013 and 2015 in expansion states than nonexpansion states. The ACA’s coverage expansions were associated with increased access to care and reduced racial and ethnic disparities in access to care, with generally greater improvements in Medicaid expansion states.
ISSUE: Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), blacks and Hispanics were more likely than whites to face barriers in access to health care. GOAL: Assess the effect of the ACA’s major coverage expansions on disparities in access to care among adults. METHODS: Analysis of nationally representative data from the American Community Survey and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Between 2013 and 2015, disparities with whites narrowed for blacks and Hispanics on three key access indicators: the percentage of uninsured working-age adults, the percentage who skipped care because of costs, and the percentage who lacked a usual care provider. Disparities were narrower, and the average rate on each of the three indicators for whites, blacks, and Hispanics was lower in both 2013 and 2015 in states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA than in states that did not expand. Among Hispanics, disparities tended to narrow more between 2013 and 2015 in expansion states than nonexpansion states. The ACA’s coverage expansions were associated with increased access to care and reduced racial and ethnic disparities in access to care, with generally greater improvements in Medicaid expansion states.
Authors: Salina P Waddy; Allen J Solomon; Adan Z Becerra; Julia B Ward; Kevin E Chan; Chyng-Wen Fwu; Jenna M Norton; Paul W Eggers; Kevin C Abbott; Paul L Kimmel Journal: J Am Soc Nephrol Date: 2020-02-20 Impact factor: 10.121
Authors: Meera N Harhay; Ryan M McKenna; Suzanne M Boyle; Karthik Ranganna; Lissa Levin Mizrahi; Stephen Guy; Gregory E Malat; Gary Xiao; David J Reich; Michael O Harhay Journal: Clin J Am Soc Nephrol Date: 2018-06-21 Impact factor: 8.237
Authors: Tanya Agurs-Collins; Susan Persky; Electra D Paskett; Shari L Barkin; Helen I Meissner; Tonja R Nansel; Sonia S Arteaga; Xinzhi Zhang; Rina Das; Tilda Farhat Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2019-01 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Louise M Henderson; Ellen S O'Meara; Jennifer S Haas; Christoph I Lee; Karla Kerlikowske; Brian L Sprague; Jennifer Alford-Teaster; Tracy Onega Journal: J Womens Health (Larchmt) Date: 2020-05-05 Impact factor: 2.681
Authors: K John McConnell; Christina J Charlesworth; Thomas H A Meath; Rani M George; Hyunjee Kim Journal: Health Aff (Millwood) Date: 2018-03 Impact factor: 6.301