A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine reveals the ACA increased access for chronically ill patients, but did not meet all medical needs, according to Kaiser Health News.
This study represents the first analysis of how the ACA impacted people with illnesses that demand long-term management. Lacking proper care, chronically ill patients often end up in emergency rooms.
Researchers analyzed Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for 600,000 adults with at least one chronic issue (coronary artery disease, stroke, asthma, pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression and arthritis). The study included insurance rates in the three years, and researchers investigated whether patients utilized their insurance when receiving treatment.
Here are six insights:
1. About 4 million more people with chronic illnesses gained coverage in 2014.
2. The researchers found if the GOP decides to cut Medicaid expansion, chronically ill patients will bear the brunt.
3. The study found patients living Medicaid-expansion states were more likely to purchase insurance. Expanded Medicaid states, like West Virginia, Illinois and Kentucky, experienced "double-digit gains in coverage of chronically ill people," according to KHN.
4. Still, the researchers noted approximately 15 percent of chronically ill patients lacked coverage following the ACA's insurance changes.
• In 2014, more than one in four chronically ill patients did not have a check-up.
• Of chronically ill patients, about 23 percent passed up physician appointments because of external factors, such as cost
• Black and Hispanic patients faced tougher obstacles, and were more likely to lack insurance under the ACA.
5. Researches guessed these gaps in care may have been a consequence of patients misunderstanding their insurance or patients not wanting to pay high copays and deductibles.
6. Since this analysis focused on 2014, the researchers said these care gaps likely decreased as more patients purchased coverage and understood how to utilize it. Still, the ACA does not represent a universal healthcare law — 20 million to 30 million Americans still lacked coverage under it.
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