Ruling from the Supreme Court has ensured that many consumers get to keep their coverage
The recent ruling from the Supreme Court on the King v. Burwell case will have a beneficial impact on those with health insurance coverage in Florida. Some 1.3 million consumers will be able to keep their insurance coverage, supported by subsidies, due to the ruling from the Supreme Court. The King v. Burwell case had caused concerns among many that received subsidized coverage, as it called into question whether or not the federal government can provide subsidies to those receiving insurance policies through exchanges that it manages.
Subsidies had been called into question by King v. Burwell case
The Affordable Care Act makes subsidies available to those receiving coverage form health insurance exchanges, but the provisions of the law were somewhat unclear as to whether or not these subsides were only available in state-run exchanges. Florida does not manage its own exchange, leaving this responsibility to the federal government. As such, the results of the case would have had a major impact on whether or not consumers would be able to afford the coverage they received from the exchange.
Majority of consumers receive subsidized coverage
The vast majority of those receiving coverage through the Florida exchange also receive subsidies for their coverage. An estimated 93% of these consumers currently have subsidies provided by the government, which keeps the average cost of health insurance at $88 a month. Without these subsidies, the average cost of coverage would have increased to $376 a month, though some consumers would be paying significantly more due to the nature of their policies. Without subsidies, many consumers would not have been able to afford their insurance coverage.
Expanding Medicaid program receives new attention
The ruling from the Supreme Court has also revitalized discussion of expanding the health care system in Florida. The state has yet to expand its Medicaid system, which could provide approximately 800,000 consumers with the coverage that they need. Many of these people are not eligible for the Medicaid program, but cannot necessarily receive coverage through other means. Expanding the program could help many people obtain the coverage that they need.