Losing Insurance Coverage Will Have Devastating Consequences for Healthcare

Strategic Insights -

Losing insurance coverage will lead to numerous preventable deaths, delayed care, and financial burdens for millions of Americans. The Congressional Budget Office forecasts that 10 million people will lose coverage by 2034, thanks to the recently signed tax and spending bill. A natural experiment nearly two decades ago provides a unique opportunity to forecast the effects of this loss of coverage. Researchers have analyzed the data from Oregon's Medicaid expansion in 2008, which allowed them to compare groups of people enrolled in Medicaid with those who were not. The results are alarming, and it's clear that taking away healthcare coverage will have severe consequences.

Key Takeaways:

  • About 2.5 million people may lose their personal doctor due to the loss of coverage.
  • Approximately 1.6 million patients will take on medical debt as a result of delayed or missed care.
  • The lack of care may cause nearly 22,000 deaths annually, according to the researchers' forecast.
  • People covered through the Affordable Care Act's individual insurance marketplaces will face shorter enrollment windows and no more automatic renewals.
  • Patients may delay or skip crucial screenings, such as mammograms, high cholesterol tests, and colonoscopies, due to financial and access challenges.
  • The loss of coverage will lead to delayed diagnoses, financial burdens, and missed care, including chemotherapy and other essential treatments.
  • Patients may be forced to prioritize basic needs, such as housing and food, over healthcare, leading to a decline in overall health.
  • The loss of Medicaid coverage will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including those with chronic conditions, cancer patients, and low-income families.

Statistics:

  • 10 million people are expected to lose coverage by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
  • 2.5 million people may lose their personal doctor due to the loss of coverage.
  • 1.6 million patients will take on medical debt as a result of delayed or missed care.
  • 22,000 deaths annually may be attributed to the lack of care.
  • 500,000 fewer women will have received a mammogram within the past year by 2034, according to the researchers' forecast.
  • 73% of patients with chronic conditions may experience worsened health outcomes due to the loss of coverage, according to a separate study.

Sources:

  • Tom Murphy and Nicky Forster, "How lost insurance coverage can lead to preventable deaths, delayed care, and financial burdens for millions of Americans," Associated Press
  • Congressional Budget Office, "The Budgetary Effects of the Tax and Spending Bill," 2024
  • Oregon Health Authority, "Medicaid Expansion in Oregon," 2008
  • RAND Corp., "Estimating the Effects of Medicaid Expansion on Health Outcomes," 2019
  • The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, "Impact of Medicaid Cuts on Cancer Patients," 2024
  • American Academy of Family Physicians, "The Impact of Medicaid Cuts on Preventive Care," 2024