Nearly 11.5 million uninsured U.S. residents with incomes below the federal poverty line could fall into a new coverage gap if every state decided to opt out of the federal health reform law’s Medicaid expansion that the Supreme Court held up late last month.
The people affected will face a similar coverage gap that many seniors deal with under the old Medicare Part-D where they would see a significant out-of-pocket cost for drugs after reaching a cap on their Medicaid coverage. The Affordable Care Act is phasing out the doughnut-hole for seniors, but individuals who would fall in the new coverage gap would not be eligible for Medicaid in their states under current requirements. They also would not qualify for subsidized private coverage in the state health insurance exchanges that will be launched in 2014 under health care reform.
Governors like Republican Rick Perry of Texas and Chris Christie of Texas have promised to opt out of what they call “Obamacare,” but would so at the expense of low to mid income people in their states who would face major drug coverage gaps.
If every state were to reject that Medicaid expansion – as the Supreme Court ruling now allows – some low-income people would still be picked up by other coverage provisions meant to help the middle class. Those who fall into the new gap would neither qualify for Medicaid in their states under current rules nor be eligible for subsidized private insurance in new state marketplaces that Obama’s law calls exchanges.
At CanadaDrugs.com we’ve been helping fill the Medicare doughnut hole for seniors facing coverage gaps by offering affordable alternative to high U.S drug costs. When faced with out-of-pocket drugs costs for medication not covered by government programs or other insurance plans, buying from a Canadian pharmacy is often the single best way to maximize savings.
If this Medicaid “doughnut hole” emerges in states that opt out of the plan, we’re confidant that like we have been doing for 10 years, that we will offer an essential service to those that are struggling to afford prescription medication because of a combination of too high U.S costs, and a lack of adequate insurance coverage.
Tags: affordable care act, drug coverage, insurance, Medicare, Medicare Part D, part d, prescription coverage, prescription drug coverage
