The Kaiser Family Foundation has released a report finding that at least 27% of American adults under age 65 have pre-existing conditions that likely would have made it impossible for them to obtain health insurance in the pre-ACA individual market. That's generated a hashtag mainly devoted to testimonials by those with pre-existing conditions (or loved ones who have them ) -- #the27percent.
At healthinsurance.org, I explore a corollary: the states with the highest concentrations of "declinable pre-existing conditions are also the poorest states in the nation:
Hope you'll take a look at the related points.
At healthinsurance.org, I explore a corollary: the states with the highest concentrations of "declinable pre-existing conditions are also the poorest states in the nation:
Of the six states with the highest “declinable pre-existing conditions”...as of 2015, Mississippi ranks last among the 50 states in median household income, Kentucky 49th, Arkansas 48th, West Virginia 47th, Alabama 46th and Tennessee 40th, according to the Census Bureau....and of course, the poorest states are the ones in most dire need of the benefits provided by the ACA. Of the six above, three have accepted the ACA Medicaid expansion -- and cut their uninsurance rates in half. In the other three, over 40% of marketplace enrollees have incomes under 139%, the cutoff for Medicaid eligibility in states that accepted the expansion.
Hope you'll take a look at the related points.
ReplyDeleteThanks for another excellent article.
I read the Kaiser article carefully. The declinable conditions were quite serious: rheumatoid arthritis, recent cancer, CHF, Crohn's, COPD, diabetes, epilepsy, hepatitis, lupus, Parkinsons, et al.
It is hard to believe that 36% of poor West Virginians are so afflicted. I am not denying it, but I do wonder how the estimate of 36% was made.
I suppose I am spoiled by living in Minnesota, where poverty is much milder and there are more safety net medical institutions.
This does not detract from the seriousness of the problem.