Mississippi Faces Significant Health Insurance Coverage Decline If US Subsidies Expire: Report
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New York, Dec 5 (NationPress) The state of Mississippi is projected to endure the largest decline in health insurance coverage if Congress does not approve an extension of temporary health coverage subsidies by the end of next year, as indicated by a recent analysis from the policy research organization The Urban Institute.
Approximately 112,000 individuals in the state would lose their health insurance, marking a 43 percent increase in Mississippi's already elevated uninsured rate, according to the report.
A decade prior, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) transformed the American healthcare landscape, providing millions with an affordable option for health insurance, as reported by the Xinhua news agency, citing The Urban Institute.
Currently, over 21 million Americans are enrolled in an ACA Marketplace plan, resulting in a 42 percent reduction in the number of uninsured individuals, according to the findings.
Jessica Banthin, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, stated, "If the enhanced premium tax credits are allowed to expire, we will witness significant drops in Marketplace coverage along with increased rates of uninsurance, with the impact varying across different states, races, income levels, and age groups." She further noted, "Our analysis suggests that the expiration of these subsidies could lead to more severe coverage losses in certain communities, rendering healthcare both unaffordable and inaccessible."
The augmented subsidies enable Americans to purchase health insurance plans on the ACA Marketplace at reduced costs thanks to enhanced premium tax credits. These benefits were initially authorized by Congress in 2021 to assist a greater number of Americans in obtaining healthcare coverage amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and they are set to expire at the end of 2025, as reported by Xinhua, referencing an Associated Press report.
