Number Of Uninsured Kids Drops Sharply In 23 States Since Health Law’s Start
No state saw an increase in uninsured children. Nearly 5 million Americans younger than 19 still lack health insurance though, according to a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report.
HealthDay:
Gains In Kids' Health Coverage Continue, But Many Still Uninsured
Despite a significant increase in the number of American children with health insurance, many still lack coverage, a new study reveals. From 2013 to 2014, the number of uninsured children fell from 5.9 million to 4.9 million. In 2013, 7.5 percent of youngsters were uninsured, compared to 6.3 percent in 2014 -- a 16 percent decrease. (Preidt, 2/11)
Georgia Health News:
Georgia Has Fewer Uninsured Kids As ACA Takes Hold
The number of uninsured Georgia children fell by more than 50,000 in 2014, the first year of full implementation of the Affordable Care Act, a new report found. That drop of 53,000 was the fourth-biggest decline in the United States. Yet it left Georgia still having 210,000 kids without coverage, the fourth-largest total in the nation, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report, released Thursday. (Miller, 2/11)
The Denver Post:
Number Of Colorado Kids Without Insurance Dropped By 35,000
The number of Colorado kids without health insurance dropped by 35,000 after federal health care reform, according to a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In 2014, the number of uninsured children in Colorado dropped from 118,000 to about 83,000 after the Affordable Care Act was implemented. (2/11)
Meanwhile, Virginia reports its latest open enrollment numbers —
The Associated Press:
Nearly 421,900 Sign Up For Plans On Health Care Marketplace
Gov. Terry McAuliffe says nearly 421,900 Virginia residents have signed up for health coverage through the HealthCare.gov marketplace. The Democratic governor said total enrollment on the marketplace in Virginia this year exceeded the state’s expectations. The figures reflect the number of people who signed up during the latest open enrollment period, which ended Jan. 31. (2/11)
And in news about another key provision of the health law, the Miami Herald examines how the effort to close Medicare's “doughnut hole” in drug coverage impacts Medicare beneficiaries in Florida —
The Miami Herald:
Obama Administration: Floridians On Medicare Saved $350M On Prescriptions In 2015
Medicare patients in Florida have received discounts and rebates of $1.3 billion on prescription drugs in the six years since enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the Obama administration reported this week. The ACA, also known as Obamacare, included changes to Medicare’s prescription drug coverage that gradually reduce the out-of-pocket costs for patients insured under the federal health program for people age 65 and older, and the disabled. (Chang, 2/11)
