New Study Confirms Obamacare Is Saving States Money

[applegrove]

New Study Confirms Obamacare Is Saving States Money

by Tara Culp-Ressler at Think Progress

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/03/20/3636704/medicaid-expansion-savings-states/

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Many of the states that agreed to expand the eligibility requirements for their Medicaid programs under the health law are reaping millions of dollars in savings, according to two new reports that confirm the financial benefits in store for state lawmakers who implement this particular Obamacare provision.

The first study, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, examined Kentucky and Arkansas — two states with previously high uninsurance rates that have benefited significantly from Medicaid expansion.

According to the researchers, those states should serve as prime examples of how “expansion can produce savings in tax dollars and generate new revenue for state budgets.” Between state fiscal years 2014 and 2021, Kentucky will save an estimated $820 million and Arkansas will save an estimated $370 million after accepting federal funding to extend health coverage to additional low-income residents.

Those savings come from a combination of the additional federal funding allocated for states that accept the expansion and the decline in uninsured residents seeking uncompensated care, which increases revenue for health providers.

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