Health insurance coverage during the COVID‐19 pandemic: The role of Medicaid expansion

Abstract

Using data from the US Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey, we analyzed the likelihood of loss of health insurance and enrollment into new health coverage during the early months of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Loss of employment was associated with a significant increase in the likelihood of loss of health insurance and, specifically, an increase in the likelihood of employer‐sponsored health insurance. However, individuals in Medicaid expansion states experienced a lower likelihood of loss of health insurance compared with individuals in nonexpansion states. At the same time, there was a statistically significant increase in Medicaid enrollment in expansion states, by 3.2 percentage points. Reemployment or acquiring employment was associated with a gain in health insurance coverage. During an economic downturn, eligibility, and coverage gaps leave many without affordable coverage options, and the pandemic will likely bring renewed attention to gaps in Medicaid coverage in nonexpansion states.

The Role of Telepharmacy in the Delivery of Clinical Pharmacy Services Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Report

“…The pandemic resulted in many patients losing their jobs, income, and insurance benefits. 16,17 This could have contributed to affordability issues resulting in more referrals to pharmacists to identify cost-effective medication regimens for patients. The stability in the percentage of COAT visits completed implied a continued need for opioid taper services throughout the study.…”

County-level variation in healthcare coverage and ischemic heart disease mortality

“…A recent systematic review and meta-analysis revealed poor health outcomes and higher mortality rates related to malignancies in patients with a lack of healthcare coverage [20]. Types of healthcare coverage were also shown to impact infection rates and mortality outcomes due to COVID-19 based on comparison of Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states [21]. Searching for healthcare providers that fall within a new healthcare coverage plan may be difficult.…”