ACA Medicaid expansion growth is 25% in 2020
The Good Part of Medicaid
Originally, Medicaid filled the gap if Americans could not afford healthcare insurance.
Today, Medicaid is filling the gap if people lost income and/or healthcare insurance during the pandemic. If below FPL or 138% FPL, people qualify for Medicaid. Others who were already in the ACA healthcare exchanges qualify for larger subsidies. Those not qualified for either were left stranded by president trump. in 2020
Newly elected President Biden is creating an opportunity for those not qualifying for Medicaid and lost their insurance to enroll in the ACA. Biden will open up healthcare exchanges so those who lost their jobs can enroll in new healthcare plans.
Meanwhile, Medicaid enrollment increased ~4 million from February 2020 due to Covid.
What Happens if You are 55 and Using Medicaid
First, lets answer a question. “Does the Affordable Care Act allow states to confiscate the estates of seniors on Medicaid when they die?”
The opponents of the ACA coined a commentary taking things out of context and citing, The Affordable Care Act confiscates the estates of seniors who were on Medicaid when they die.
History has it that all states had an option since Medicaid began in 1965 to recover some Medicaid costs from recipients after they died as Health and Human Services explained in a 2005 policy brief.
– In 1965, it was optional and states could only recoup Medicaid costs spent on those 65 years or older.
– It changed in 1993, when Congress passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 budget bill requiring states to recover the expense of long-term care and related costs for deceased Medicaid recipients 55 or older.
The 1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act also gave states the option to recover all other Medicaid expenses.