While Medicaid’s future is up in the air, the health insurance of 93,400 low-income residents in Montana are at risk for those enrolled in the ACA’s expansion since 2010.
If overturned by the court, these individuals could lose their federal entitlement to coverage and states will not be able to claim 90 percent federal matching dollars for their Medicaid costs. This could make premiums too expensive and most low income individuals would likely become uninsured.
QuoteWizard’s team of analysts compiled Montana’s uninsured data and Medicaid enrollment since the inception of the ACA in 2010 to show how its uninsured rates have decreased by the rise in Medicaid enrollment. You can view it online at: https://quotewizard.com/news/posts/states-with-biggest-improvement-uninsured-rates
Here is more supporting data about Montana’s uninsured and Medicaid rates:
- Montana’s uninsured rate decreased 47 percent from when the ACA was expanded in 2010.
- This was mainly driven by Montana’s 76 percent increase in Medicaid enrollment over that time period.
- As of 2019,Montana’s rate of uninsured is 8 percent. Montana’s Medicaid enrollment is 21 percent.
- A repeal of the ACA could leave over 21 million people uninsured nationwide with 12 million losing Medicaid coverage.
- 37 states have adopted Medicaid expansion, leading to the improved uninsured rates across the nation by 37% (17.5 million people) from 2010 to 2019.
- Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act led to an increase of 23% (12.1 million people) in the number of people enrolled in Medicaid from 2010 to 2019.
• A repeal of the ACA could leave over 21 million people uninsured with 12 million losing Medicaid coverage.
• Nationwide, the number of uninsured people has decreased by 37% (17.5 million people) from 2010 to 2019.
• Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act led to an increase of 23% (12.1 million people) in the number of people enrolled in Medicaid from 2010 to 2019.
• Rhode Island, Kentucky and West Virginia saw greatest improvement in uninsured rates from 2010 to 2019.
• South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming saw least improvement in uninsured rates from 2008 to 2017.
• 39 states have adopted Medicaid expansion, leading to the improved uninsured rates across the nation.
With health insurance open enrollment season on the horizon, QuoteWizard wanted to see which states have made the biggest improvements in reducing uninsured rates. Since the inception of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, there have been major improvements to the uninsured rate. From 2010 to 2019 there was a 37% decrease in uninsured Americans, totalling 17.5 million people nationally. The good news is all 50 states saw some level of improvement to their uninsured rates. However, not all states experienced significant increases as some did.
The driving force behind the drop in uninsured rates is likely the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. ACA laws increased eligibility for adults with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level to be covered under Medicaid. While the ACA increased eligibility for Medicaid, many states have not adopted Medicaid expansion. Currently there are 39 states that have adopted some form of Medicaid expansion. It’s those states who have adopted Medicaid expansion that saw the greatest decrease in uninsured people from 2010 to 2019. Among the top 25 states to decrease their rate of uninsured from 2010 to 2019, all 25 states have adopted Medicaid expansion. As the ACA faces a legal battle in the Supreme Court the insurance status of millions hangs in the balance of a court decision. If the ACA were to be repealed an estimated 21 million people could be left uninsured and over 12 million people could lose Medicaid coverage.
| To rank states with the largest decrease in uninsured people, QuoteWizard analyzed Kaiser Family Foundation data on health insurance coverage of adults from 2010 to 2019. States are ranked from 1 being the greatest decrease of uninsured to 50 being the lowest decrease of uninsured. QuoteWizaard also included the rate of Medicaid increases over the same time period to reflect how the expansion of Medicaid impacts uninsured rates. Rank | State | 2010 Uninsured | 2019 Uninsured | % Decrease in Uninsured | % Increase in Medicaid |
| 1 | Rhode Island | 122,300 | 43,400 | -64.51% | 21% |
| 2 | Kentucky | 644,500 | 275,700 | -57.22% | 26% |
| 3 | West Virginia | 262,500 | 114,500 | -56.38% | 27% |
| 4 | New York | 2,258,800 | 1,000,100 | -55.72% | 26% |
| 5 | California | 6,781,300 | 3,005,400 | -55.68% | 25% |
| 6 | Oregon | 645,800 | 293,500 | -54.55% | 21% |
| 7 | Michigan | 1,201,600 | 561,600 | -53.26% | 22% |
| 8 | New Mexico | 403,800 | 200,500 | -50.35% | 33% |
| 9 | Louisiana | 782,900 | 400,200 | -48.88% | 29% |
| 10 | Illinois | 1,757,900 | 905,900 | -48.47% | 18% |
| 11 | Washington | 936,900 | 488,900 | -47.82% | 20% |
| 12 | Iowa | 275,600 | 144,400 | -47.61% | 20% |
| 13 | Montana | 162,800 | 86,600 | -46.81% | 21% |
| 14 | Arkansas | 495,800 | 265,800 | -46.39% | 26% |
| 15 | Maryland | 640,100 | 347,100 | -45.77% | 19% |
| 16 | Hawaii | 100,400 | 54,500 | -45.72% | 18% |