An overview of Health Care Reform - Research Paper Example

The Medicaid expansion is expected to take place before 2014. In 2010, the Medicaid income eligibility level was 64% of the federal poverty level and currently only 11 states provide coverage for adults without dependent children. The expansion of Medicaid will avail services to individuals under 65 years of age who earn less than 133% of poverty, despite their family composition. The expansion makes it possible for children with the cover of children’s health insurance program to access the Medicaid services; the services provide more comprehensive children’s benefits package and lower cost sharing limits.

The federal government will provide the finance of the Medicaid service. For enrollment of new members, the government will pay the full cost for the first three years. In 2017, the government will split 5% to be covered by the state. The state’s share of the cost of the expansion will then top out at 10% in 2019 and in future. The expansion of the Medicaid services will change how individual’s income will be calculated to create consistency; this will be in terms of tax credits available, for people who earn between 133 and 400 of federal poverty level.

In 2014, states are expected to use modified adjusted gross income to determine the income of a family or an individual. This program covers over 7 million children of low income. The expansion will continue when the health reform provide the federal funding needed and, this will enable more children to be covered by the child insurance program. This should take place through the end of the federal year 2015 under the existing rules of that year. At the beginning of the year 2016, states will receive a 23% increase in coverage of the child health insurance program paid by the federal government.

The program will need to be adjusted by the end of 2015 for the expansion to be experienced. By 2014