The Affordable Care Act in Kentucky has proved most beneficial for those living in areas of high poverty. A study from the University of Louisville says expanding Medicaid is largely credited with improving health care access to some of the state’s poorest individuals.
One of the researchers was UofL Professor Joseph Benitez, who says many Kentuckians are no longer foregoing medical care due to costs.
Benitez said, “It’s removing much of the financial burden associated with going to the doctor or getting needed health care particularly for those that might be considered the most economically vulnerable.”
The research builds on a previous UofL study that found the uninsured rate among low-income Kentucky households dropped from 35 percent in 2013 to nearly ten percent by the end of 2014. Dr. Benitez said while more disadvantaged Kentuckians are seeking medical care, it’s too early to know the impact on illness and death rates in the commonwealth.
He also said the study reflects how the Medicaid expansion has brought health care coverage to some of Kentucky’s poorest citizens and repealing it would be harmful.
“Some people would go back to not utilizing health care in the same way or they might go back to relying on charity care from safety net providers, such as public hospitals or community health centers,” said Benitez.
The research comes as Congressional Republicans prepare to unveil their second proposal aimed at repealing and replacing the ACA. At the state level, Governor Matt Bevin is seeking a federal waiver to reduce some Medicaid benefits and impose policy changes, including work requirements for people using the program. Bevin has said that the state’s Medicaid system is unsustainable in its current form.
