Issue brief proposes local option for uninsured
March 3, 2022
Examining the more than 3 million non-elderly poor adults in states without Medicaid expansion, the HMA team of Matt Powers and former HMA colleagues Nora Leibowitz and Jack Meyer, have authored an issue brief proposing a local health insurance option to fill gaps for these individuals who frequently lack access to meaningful healthcare.
The brief, Considerations for a Local Health Insurance Option in Medicaid Non-expansion States, published by the Milbank Memorial Fund, recognizes the critical role local entities and providers play in providing care and proposes a Local Choice Option, could:
- Provide a comprehensive insurance product that promotes appropriate access to healthcare and better health outcomes
- Repurpose funding now used only for direct care to provide healthcare more efficiently
- Support local customization and create an alternative to an open-ended entitlement program in states where that is not currently politically tenable
The brief concludes a Local Choice Option would be a sound investment with the potential for quick implementation and benefits of health insurance not currently available to people living in poverty in non-expansion states.