Impact of Affordable Care Act on North Carolina Uninsured Population
Impact of Affordable Care Act on North Carolina Uninsured Population
Rita Santos
Walden University
NURS-6050N-1,Policy & Advocacy for Population Health
January 3, 2014
Impact of ACA on North Carolina Uninsured Population The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in vigor since January 1, 2014, and hospitals and health care providers are not sure about how many people will knock at their door for health care. So far, according to Camp (2014) “More than two million people across the country have signed up for healthcare under the ACA and hospitals are bracing for a wave of newly insured patients”. How does that affect the uninsured people in North Carolina is an unanswered question. Seventeen percent of North Carolina’s residents are uninsured, according to Kaiser Foundation (2012). Health Care reform brings controversial and uneasy ethic issues to the population as well as to legislators. North Carolina can opt to expand Medicaid coverage to all individuals that have a household income less than 138% of the federal poverty level, but the question in the air is how NC will make it happen?.
Financial Impact of ACA on North Carolina
North Carolina has one of the highest index of the uninsured population when compared to States at the same size, 17% accruing to 1,604,300 residents. Michigan has 12 percent; New Jersey has 15 percent; Virginia has 13 percent, according to Kaiser Foundation (2012).
Milstead (2013) assures “Based on the Affordable Care Act, beginning in 2014 adults can qualify for Medicaid if their income is no greater than 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($30,429 for a family of four in 2010)”. Besides of what the ACA says each State has its own policies for Medicaid eligibility, being it a joint initiative between State and Federal funds. According to American College of Physicians (2013) “ Unfortunately, the state has chosen not to expand its program at this time. The Urban Institute estimates that about 632,000 uninsured North Carolinians
Rita Santos
Walden University
NURS-6050N-1,Policy & Advocacy for Population Health
January 3, 2014
Impact of ACA on North Carolina Uninsured Population The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in vigor since January 1, 2014, and hospitals and health care providers are not sure about how many people will knock at their door for health care. So far, according to Camp (2014) “More than two million people across the country have signed up for healthcare under the ACA and hospitals are bracing for a wave of newly insured patients”. How does that affect the uninsured people in North Carolina is an unanswered question. Seventeen percent of North Carolina’s residents are uninsured, according to Kaiser Foundation (2012). Health Care reform brings controversial and uneasy ethic issues to the population as well as to legislators. North Carolina can opt to expand Medicaid coverage to all individuals that have a household income less than 138% of the federal poverty level, but the question in the air is how NC will make it happen?.
Financial Impact of ACA on North Carolina
North Carolina has one of the highest index of the uninsured population when compared to States at the same size, 17% accruing to 1,604,300 residents. Michigan has 12 percent; New Jersey has 15 percent; Virginia has 13 percent, according to Kaiser Foundation (2012).
Milstead (2013) assures “Based on the Affordable Care Act, beginning in 2014 adults can qualify for Medicaid if their income is no greater than 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($30,429 for a family of four in 2010)”. Besides of what the ACA says each State has its own policies for Medicaid eligibility, being it a joint initiative between State and Federal funds. According to American College of Physicians (2013) “ Unfortunately, the state has chosen not to expand its program at this time. The Urban Institute estimates that about 632,000 uninsured North Carolinians
References: American College of Physicians. (2013). How North Carolinians Can Access Affordable, Comprehensive Health Insurance. Taken from http://www.acponline.org/advocacy/state_health_policy/aca_enrollment/states/nc.htm Camp Douglass, F. (1883). The civil rights case. Taken from http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/the-civil-rights-case/ Kaiser Family Foundation Kovner, A. R., & Knickman, J. R. (Eds.). (2011). Health care delivery in the United States (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing. Milstead, J. A. (2013). Health policy and politics: A nurse 's guide (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Murawsk, J. (2013). NCSU economist Walden sees brighter economic times ahead for NC. Business Blog. Taken from http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/12/12/3454843/ncsu-economist-walden-sees-brighter.html Robesonian News Sorrell, J. (2012). Ethics: the patient protection and affordable care act: ethical perspectives in 21st century health care. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 18(1). DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol18No02EthCol01 State of North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory Office (2013) USHistory.Org (ed.) (1944/2012). Economic bill of rights. Retrieved from www.ushistory.org/documents/economic_bill_of_rights.htm