IMPLEMENTING THE ACA: HOW MUCH WILL IT HELP VULNERABLE ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS?

Abigail English, JD 

Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

english@cahl.org

OJJDP Coordinating Council

 Washington, DC – November 13, 2013

Special Thanks!

M. Jane Park, MPH

Jazmyn Scott, MPH

National Adolescent and Young Adult Health Information Center

Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine

Department of Pediatrics

University of California, San Francisco

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Overview
        - ACA implications for vulnerable adolescents & young adults
        - Youth in & exiting foster care
        - Youth in & exiting juvenile & criminal justice systems
        - Homeless youth
        - Common themes
        - Health insurance coverage pre- and post-ACA
        - Important challenges

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

ACA Eligibility
        - Coverage through the “exchange” or “marketplace”
        - Subsidized coverage
        - Premium tax credits: 100% to 400% FPL
        - Cost sharing assistance: 100% to 250% FPL
        - Medicaid
        - Children & adolescents through age 18
        - Maintenance of effort
        - Required coverage at least to 138% FPL
        - Young adults
        - Medicaid expansion critical

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

ACA Benefits
        - “Essential Health Benefits”
        - All private plans offered through the Exchange must cover 10 essential health benefits
        - State flexibility
        - Benchmark plans
        - Monitoring & advocacy
        - States opting for Medicaid expansion must cover at least 10 essential health benefits for newly eligible adult beneficiaries

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Essential Health Benefits

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Preventive Services
        - No cost sharing in private health plans
        - In-network providers
        - Scope
        - USPSTF grade A or B recommended services
        - Bright Futures recommended services for adolescents
        - CDC ACIP recommended vaccines
        - Services recommended in Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines (IOM)

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Vulnerable Groups – Common Themes
        - Significant overlap & intersection among 3 groups
        - Overrepresentation of racial & ethnic minorities
        - High rates of serious health problems
        - High rates of uninsurance & reliance on Medicaid
        - Disconnection from familial, adult, & social supports

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Foster Youth – Pre-ACA
        - Most foster youth covered by Medicaid
        - Many lost coverage when aging out at age 18
        - 2010 study found 1⁄2 lacked coverage by age 23 or 24
        - Foster Care Independence Act 1999
        - Medicaid expansion option to age 21
        - 33 states implemented option by January 2011

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Foster Youth – Post-ACA
        - ACA requires Medicaid coverage for former foster youth to age 26
        - In foster care and enrolled in Medicaid at age 18 (or older as specified by state)
        - No income or assets test
        - Limited to state where youth was in foster care??
        - Estimated 74,000 former foster youth enrolled by 2017

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Justice Systems Youth – Pre-ACA
        - Many youth involved in juvenile or criminal justice system had Medicaid coverage prior to entry into residential placement or incarceration
        - States required to cover ages 6-18 to 100% FPL
        - Many states extended coverage to higher levels
        - Those incarcerated or confined in “public institutions” lost Medicaid during incarceration
        - Option to suspend coverage not adopted by many state and local agencies

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Justice Systems Youth – Post-ACA
        - Medicaid expansion
        - One half of states expanding Medicaid at this time
        - Subsidized coverage through the ACA exchanges
        - Available beginning at 100% FPL
        - Not available below 100% FPL
        - Coverage on a parent’s plan to age 26
        - Employer based coverage unlikely

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Homeless Youth – Pre-ACA
        - Comprehensive data on health insurance coverage of homeless youth not available
        - Many uninsured
        - Many Medicaid eligible
        - Application & enrollment barriers
        - Requirement for parent’s signature
        - Verification of family income
        - Fixed address
        - Heavy reliance on ER & sites for free care

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Homeless Youth – Post-ACA
        - Medicaid
        - Eligibility in states without expansion
        - Pregnant
        - Parent of dependent child
        - Disabled
        - Eligibility in states with expansion
        - At least up to 138% FPL
        - Other coverage options unlikely for these youth

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Medicaid Challenges
        - Expansion critical for vulnerable groups
        - As of October 22, 2013
        - 25 states & DC expanding Medicaid
        - Minimum eligibility level = 138% FPL
        - 25 states not expanding at this time
        - Only 1 of those states provides ANY coverage for single non-parent adults without disabilities
        - Coverage for parents of dependent children ranges from 16% to 128% FPL with median at 47% FPL

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Outreach and Enrollment Challenges
        - States required to engage in outreach to vulnerable populations:
        - “...conduct outreach to and enroll in Medicaid/CHIP vulnerable and underserved populations, including unaccompanied homeless youth, children with special health care needs, pregnant women, racial and ethnic minorities, rural populations and individuals with HIV/AIDS.” § 2201(b) (amending 42 U.S.C. § 1397aa)
        - Streamlined application procedures
        - Enrollment assistance for exchange plans

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Conclusion
        - Ensuring access to affordable insurance & essential health services for vulnerable adolescents & young adults under the ACA will be complex & challenging
        - Federal laws
        - State laws
        - Health care professionals & advocates
        - ACA will help vulnerable adolescents & young adults – how much???

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

Thank You!

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law

A. English, Center for Adolescent Health & the Law