Approximately 27 Million People May Lose Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage Amidst Pandemic, Study Indicates
- May 14, 2020
ABC News (5/13) reports, “Soaring unemployment numbers could translate into nearly 27 million people losing their health insurance, according to a new report.” The Kaiser Family Foundation report released Wednesday noted, “Between March 1st and May 2nd, 2020, more than 31 million people had filed for unemployment insurance,” but “actual loss of jobs and income are likely even higher, as some people may be only marginally employed or may not have filed for benefits.” Eight states, including Texas, California, “Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia, Florida, Michigan and Ohio will account for roughly half of the people who lost health insurance they previously had through their job, the report estimated.”
The Hill (5/13, Sullivan) reports, “Not all of the 26.8 million people will become uninsured.” The analysis finds “a large majority, 79%, will be eligible for government-subsidized coverage elsewhere, either through Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.” However, there are “5.7 million people...not eligible for government help, due to factors like living in a state that did not expand Medicaid or making too much income to qualify for ACA subsidies,” and “many of those people could become uninsured, the study estimates.”