Kaiser Family Foundation study warns of spike in the uninsured due to COVID-19

The Kaiser Family Foundation yesterday released a study showing the scope of COVID-19’s effect on health insurance coverage.

KFF estimates that more than 20 million people will become eligible for subsidized coverage through the Affordable Care Act, due to either expanded Medicaid or premium tax credits, after losing employer-sponsored health coverage due to the pandemic. However, an additional 6 million people will not be eligible for subsidized coverage; as a result, these individuals will either have to pay the full cost of coverage or become uninsured.

In a separate issue brief also released yesterday, KFF details new analysis showing that ACA-compliant individual market insurers remains profitable and stable through 2019, even without a mandate penalty. However, the researchers note that this forward-looking expectation is clouded somewhat by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn and ongoing lawsuit seeking to strike down the ACA.