The Affordable Care Act:
The homeless populations lack of access to health-care is all the more pressing in light of reductions to disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The DSH program was designed to help safety-net hospitals responsible for providing care to the uninsured and other low-income patients. Hospitals that serve these vulnerable patients by providing a federally designated level of uncompensated care are deemed disproportionate share hospitals and thus eligible to receive federal DSH payments to help offset their costs . The ACA will reduce DSH payments, meaning California hospitals will have less money to recoup the cost of caring for vulnerable patients like the homeless.
However, the ACA also brings new opportunities for health-care coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans. Under the ACA, California will expand the Medi-Cal program, the State’s version of Medicaid, to allow single adults without children with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to receive benefits, and the federal government will cover 100% of the cost of services for these new enrollees. Not only will California expand the Medi-Cal program to provide services for more vulnerable residents, the program will now cover mental health services and free annual preventative exams, among other enhanced health benefits. Prior to the ACA, Medi-Cal benefits were limited to low-income individuals based on categorical eligibility, meaning beneficiaries needed to fall within certain categories such as pregnant women or parents with dependent children in order to eligible for services. Many of those newly eligible for Medi-Cal services will be the homeless .
The homeless populations lack of access to health-care is all the more pressing in light of reductions to disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The DSH program was designed to help safety-net hospitals responsible for providing care to the uninsured and other low-income patients. Hospitals that serve these vulnerable patients by providing a federally designated level of uncompensated care are deemed disproportionate share hospitals and thus eligible to receive federal DSH payments to help offset their costs . The ACA will reduce DSH payments, meaning California hospitals will have less money to recoup the cost of caring for vulnerable patients like the homeless.
However, the ACA also brings new opportunities for health-care coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans. Under the ACA, California will expand the Medi-Cal program, the State’s version of Medicaid, to allow single adults without children with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to receive benefits, and the federal government will cover 100% of the cost of services for these new enrollees. Not only will California expand the Medi-Cal program to provide services for more vulnerable residents, the program will now cover mental health services and free annual preventative exams, among other enhanced health benefits. Prior to the ACA, Medi-Cal benefits were limited to low-income individuals based on categorical eligibility, meaning beneficiaries needed to fall within certain categories such as pregnant women or parents with dependent children in order to eligible for services. Many of those newly eligible for Medi-Cal services will be the homeless .
Some of the New Services Available:
sources:
Graves, J. A. (2012). Medicaid Expansion Opt-Outs and Uncompensated Care. New England Journal Of Medicine, 367(25), 2365-2367. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1209450
- Mental Health is now classified an "essential health benefit" under the Affordable Care Act. This means that Medi-Cal will now provide no-cost mental health screenings, counseling and treatment.
- Free help with substance abuse disorders like alcoholism or drug addiction
- Free preventative care services like physical exams
sources:
Graves, J. A. (2012). Medicaid Expansion Opt-Outs and Uncompensated Care. New England Journal Of Medicine, 367(25), 2365-2367. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1209450