The Supreme Court may have kept subsidies available to all Americans regardless of whether their state has set up its own exchange, but some people still refuse to purchase coverage, and they're perfectly happy remaining uninsured.
While the Supreme Court upheld subsidies in the federal marketplace, thus removing some uncertainty regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that could have caused insurance coverage to become out of reach for millions of Americans, there are still plenty that willingly choose to stay uninsured.
The president took the time after the ruling to laud the accomplishments of his healthcare law over the past 5 years, and based on his comments, he seems more confident than ever in the legislation.
“Today … after multiple challenges before the Supreme Court the Affordable Care Act is here to stay,” President Obama said simply in a press conference.
He went on to discuss the millions of Americans who are benefiting from the law, some of whom he’s heard from personally telling him the impact the law has made. And the president wasn’t the only one rejoicing.
The American Medical Association quickly released a statement from its president, Steven J. Stack, MD, who expressed how relieved the association was. The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy also discussed the positive news.
“The US Supreme Court’s decision upholding the contested language in the ACA is positive news for millions of Americans who will continue to have access to affordable prescription drugs, a benefit that many of us take for granted,” Chief Executive Ofice Edith A. Rosato, RPh, IOM, said in a statement. “Whatever one’s view of the ACA, there’s no denying that this decision has averted significant disruption to the healthcare marketplace.”
However, just because health insurance remains in reach for everyone through subsidies does not mean everyone wants it.
The Wall Street Journal highlighted the fact that millions of people continue to refuse to buy health insurance and would prefer to simply pay the penalty, which will start at $695 for an individual next year.
A study found that in 8 of 10 cases where people choose not to purchase health insurance, the reasons were financial: either money was tight and they had other issues that ranked ahead of insurance, or they were comfortably off and preferred to act as their own insurer, according to The Journal. The largest group of people choosing to stay uninsured (45%) are those who either have access to insurance through an employer or can afford to buy it because of the ACA, but simply choose not to.
Real-World Study Reveals Key Insights into DLBCL Treatment Patterns, Outcomes
April 18th 2024A recent study offers valuable insights into the characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in patients across different lines of therapy, providing a look into the landscape of DLBCL management.
Read More
Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
Listen
Collecting SDOH Data Can Assess Risk of Medical Nonadherence, Improve HEI and Star Ratings
April 18th 2024At the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 2024 annual meeting, a panel of presenters explored changes coming to Medicare that incorporate social determinants of health (SDOH) data to improve patient and health system outcomes.
Read More
Drs Raymond Thertulien, Joseph Mikhael on Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care Access
December 28th 2023In the wake of the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, Raymond Thertulien, MD, PhD, of Novant Health, and Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed health equity research highlights from the meeting and drivers of racial disparities in multiple myeloma outcomes.
Listen
Commonwealth Fund Report Details Pervasive Racial and Ethnic Disparities in US Health Care, Outcomes
April 18th 2024Using 25 health system performance indicators, the Commonwealth Fund 2024 State Health Disparities Report evaluated racial and ethnic disparities in health care and health outcomes both within and across US states and highlighted the urgent need for equitable health care policies and practices in the US.
Read More