The Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion in Minnesota and throughout the country can help millions of Americans receive Medicaid benefits. However, the ACA Medicaid expansion is an option, not a requirement. Instead, each state and the District of Colombia were given the chance to be a part of the Obamacare expansion. News of the expansion often leaves many people wondering, “What is the Obamacare Medicaid expansion?” and “Will the expansion affect my current benefits?” To answer these questions, you first need to look at how the Obamacare Medicaid expansion details would affect the state’s Medicaid program. If a state moves forward with the ACA Medicaid expansion, the Medicaid enrollment requirements will be affected the most. The Affordable Care Act Medicaid eligibility criteria will override the state’s existing enrollment requirements for Medicaid making income a sole determining factor. Most states that choose the ACA expansion allow those who have incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level to enroll. If a state does not adopt the Obamacare expansion, no changes will need to be made to that state’s Medicaid program. To find out what is the expansion of Medicaid and if Minnesota accepted the new guidelines, read the information provided below.
Learn About the ACA Medicaid Expansion in Minnesota
Minnesota accepted the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion along side 30 other states and Washington D.C. since the plan was offered. A reason the ACA Medicaid expansion was not accepted in the other 19 states may be the expense to implement. The ACA Medicaid expansion costs to states can be quite high even with the help of the federal government. The expansion gives each state the opportunity to have more insured residents by expanding Medicaid eligibility, but it can have some disadvantages. Minnesota officials weighed the potential positive and negative outcomes of instituting the expansion before making their final decision. Government officials found that the expenses that come with the Obamacare Medicaid expansion would not outweigh the positives, which is why many Minnesota lawmakers were in favor the expansion.
Learn about all the requirements to enroll in Medicaid coverage by downloading our comprehensive guide.
What does choosing the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion mean for Minnesota?
The eligibility requirements on the Minnesota Affordable Care Act Medicaid application are one of the largest aspects changed by the expansion. Minnesota adults, regardless of family status or disability, can now receive medical benefits through Medicaid if they earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Prior to the ACA Medicaid expansion, low-income adults without children were not eligible to receive Medicaid assistance unless they had a qualifying condition such as blindness or a disability.
The ACA expansion to Minnesota Medicaid program also comes with a few other benefits. The expansion provides more funding for health programs regarding smoking cessation and family planning. A certain portion of the funds from the Obamacare Medicaid program are allocated to preventing benefits fraud. All of these measures have helped Minnesota residents in the few years that the expansion has been in effect. For example, the uninsured rate is at a record-breaking low of just four percent with unpaid hospital bills falling by almost 17 percent.
Most states with ACA Medicaid expansion will keep the program until the early 2020s. Then lawmakers in each state will review the program’s effectiveness and make any changes to the program, if deemed necessary. Minnesota lawmakers will then need to consider the ACA Medicaid expansion costs to state and the associated consequences of increasing Medicaid cost and coverage to residents.
Will the ACA Medicaid Expansion allow me to enroll in Minnesota Medicaid?
Since the new Affordable Care Act Medicaid eligibility standards have been enacted in Minnesota, more applicants are eligible to enroll in the program. The Affordable Care Act Medicaid application guidelines will allow many different populations such as adults without children and residents without disabilities to request coverage. The ACA eligibility criteria will not deter coverage for those who are already eligible for benefits under the former requirements. Beneficiaries enrolled in the Medicaid program before the expansion should not have any changes to their benefits due to implementation of the expansion. Interested applicants who are unsure if they qualify for Medicaid coverage under the new guidelines should apply to the program for determination, as they may be eligible for other assistance.
Take note: If an applicant is not deemed eligible for Medicaid enrollment, there may be other options for him or her to receive health benefits. Medicaid does not fund all medical benefits programs in the state, so those who cannot apply for Medicaid have other choices.