The ACA Coverage Gap and Its Deadly Implications
December 8, 2016As the December 15th deadline approaches to sign up for 2017 market exchange plans, affordable health insurance remains out of reach or at-risk for too many Americans.
Since Donald Trump was elected, progressives have been preparing to fight tooth and nail to protect what they see as hard-won gains in increasing access to healthcare for Americans. Obamacare has considerably reduced the number of people who are uninsured and had major benefits for women. If Trump does eliminate the program as he’s committed to do, marginalized people across the country will undoubtedly suffer.
But even under President Obama, far too many people already face insurmountable barriers to healthcare, particularly low-income people of color and women. This coverage gap is made up of people who make incomes that exceed the threshold for Medicaid programs, yet don’t make enough money to qualify for subsidies on the federal healthcare exchange.