By David Blumenthal and Sara R. Collins

The health reform law’s major health insurance expansions and market reforms will take effect in just eight months. These changes have the potential to significantly reduce the numbers of people who are uninsured and underinsured nationwide, as well as limit the associated financial difficulties.

A report released in April by The Commonwealth Fund underscores the need for these new coverage solutions. Based on the Fund’s 2012 Biennial Health Insurance Survey, the report finds that in 2012 an estimated 84 million adults ages 19 to 64 did not have health insurance for the full year or were underinsured and unprotected from high out-of-pocket medical costs. The analysis also found that millions of U.S. adults are struggling to pay medical bills and avoiding timely health care for financial reasons. There was a bright spot in the report: an estimated 3.4 million young adults ages 19–25 gained insurance coverage between 2010 and 2012, likely as a result of the Affordable Care Act’s provision that allows young adults to stay on their parents’ health plans until age 26.

This blog post examines both the Affordable Care Act’s potential to cover millions of people, as well as remaining coverage gaps.

By David Bricklin-Small and Tricia McGinnis, Center for Health Care Strategies 

Since January, Medicaid agencies and health plans have been required to reimburse primary care providers at Medicare’s generally higher rates. The Affordable Care Act’s two-year “Medicaid bump” is completely funded by the federal government. These dollars represent an $11.4 billion boost for Medicaid primary care. Yet, given that many more people will qualify for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act starting next year, and that a shortage of primary care providers who accept Medicaid is anticipated, ensuring adequate access to primary care for low-income residents is still a key concern for states and the federal government.

By Jordan Kiszla and Rachel Nuzum

Strong primary care is essential to improved health outcomes, lower costs, and increased equity, and the patient-centered medical home is a potentially key strategy for transforming primary care. The medical home is a model of primary care that leverages a team of health care providers to offer comprehensive, coordinated care available around the clock. Private health plans in 49 states are testing this model and 19 states are involved in multipayer medical home pilots.

On May 3, more than 180 congressional and administration staff, journalists, and other Washington, D.C., policy stakeholders convened for a briefing to discuss the status of the medical home pilots and preliminary results of their effect on health outcomes, quality of care, patient and provider satisfaction, and health care costs.