Press Releases
New Brief: Uncertain Future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Emphasizes Critical Need for Increased Access to Health Insurance Coverage in the Mid South
March 23rd, 2017
Hope Policy Institute calls to increase health insurance coverage in the Mid South
JACKSON, MS (March 23, 2017) – The repeal of key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without an alternative in place will have negative consequences for uninsured residents in the Mid South states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, according to a new policy brief.
From 2010-2015, 930,000 Mid South residents in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee have gained health insurance coverage through the ACA. However, estimates show that more than 1.8 million nonelderly residents (ages 0-64) remain uninsured. The repeal of certain provisions will further restrict access to those individuals.
“While the nation continues to grapple with the potential impact of a repeal of the ACA, little discussion has focused on how repealing the ACA would impact the Mid South region of the United States,” says lead author and Senior Policy Analyst, Jessica Shappley. The State of Health Coverage in the Mid South policy brief, from Hope Policy Institute, examines the implementation of the ACA in the Mid South and provides a snapshot of health insurance coverage in the region under the ACA.
“In one of the most impoverished regions of the country, many residents would benefit from greater access to health insurance and not less coverage,” said Dr. Corey Wiggins, Director of the Policy Institute. “It is essential to make health insurance coverage more accessible, particularly in a region where we have higher rates of uninsured and worse health outcomes.”
The State of Health Coverage in the Mid South is available here.
