Special Report: Impact of ACA on Uninsured Asians in Illinois

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will greatly improve the health of Americans by offering newly available coverage to the uninsured without pre-existing health condition exclusions, improving physical and mental health, and reducing the financial burden associated with healthcare. The Asian Health Coalition (AHC) and Health & Disability Advocates (HDA) jointly present this Special Issue Brief predicting that 75,000 currently uninsured Asians in Illinois will be eligible for coverage in 2014 through the Medicaid expansion signed into law last week (SB 26) and the health insurance marketplace (formerly known as the “Exchange”).

Working with datasets from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA), key findings show:

• Of the nearly 600,000 Asian Americans in Illinois, more than 80% live in just 4 counties comprising Cook, DuPage, Kane and Lake.
• There is more than a 40% rate of limited English-proficiency in many Asian subgroups (Chinese, Korean, Laotian, Pakistani).
• More than 92,000 Asian Americans in Illinois are presently without health insurance.
• 75,000 individuals (or more than 80% of the uninsured Asians) are expected to be eligible for coverage in 2014 with one-third of those obtaining coverage through the Medicaid expansion and the remaining two-thirds through the new health insurance marketplace.

Insurance Coverage by Asian Subgroup

“Health insurance makes a big difference in access to necessary medical care, financial security, and ultimately health outcomes for vulnerable populations,” said Stephanie Altman, Programs & Policy Director at HDA. "The uninsured receive less preventive care and recommended screenings than those with health insurance, and therefore may forego needed care or prescriptions due to cost,” she added.

“Open enrollment is just 60 days away and outreach and enrollment efforts targeted to communities of color are more important than ever if we are to maximize enrollment into new health coverage options”, said Edwin Chandrasekar, AHC’s Executive Director. “The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded $27 million to community-based organizations through the In-Person Counselor Grant Program and this is a positive step in the right direction to tailoring outreach and education strategies to meet the diverse racial and ethnic Asian American subgroup needs.”

For more information about this brief, please contact the Asian Health Coalition at (312) 372-7070 or info@asianhealth.org.


Edwin Chandrasekar
Asian Health Coalition

Consumers Need Protection from Health Insurance Company Plan Year Manipulation

It was disappointing—infuriating actually—to learn that some of the nation’s health insurance companies are trying to take advantage of their current customers by manipulating plan years. They are doing so to avoid having to pass on to these customers the benefits of national health reform.

These insurers are reaching out to current customers, taking advantage of their uncertainties, and luring them to switch to health plan years that begin in 2013. By substituting 2013 plans for their current plans that run through early 2014, customers will lose important Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections that must apply to plans issued on or after January 1, 2014. For example, plans issued in 2014 must offer a comprehensive range of benefits and have rates based only on the customer’s age, geographic location, number in family, and tobacco usage. Discrimination based on gender or pre-existing conditions is banned by federal law in 2014 plans. Health insurance insider turned critic, Wendell Potter, recently wrote in detail about this outrage in the Huffington Post.

So insurers are trying to have the best of both worlds. They want all the goodies the ACA offers them, including hundreds of millions of new customers (many of whom will only be able to afford coverage because they qualify for the federal financial help in the form of advance premium tax credits and cost sharing subsidies available under the ACA), but they also want to deprive their existing customers of the benefit of ACA reforms.

Fortunately, insurance regulators can and are protecting customers from such manipulation. Illinois Department of Insurance Director Andrew Boron issued Bulletin 2013-07 on April 29, 2013, telling Illinois health insurers that they won’t get away with such manipulation. “The Department will not approve…filings for such arrangements,” the bulletin says. That should bring these threatened manipulations to an end in Illinois, and we hope regulators in other states take similar actions.

Health insurance has been baffling to most individuals and small businesses. The federal government, many states, and many non-profit organizations are working hard to inform citizens of the reforms, benefits, and opportunities the Affordable Care Act has already brought and the major improvements coming in 2014. Actions like these plan date manipulations simply have no place in the picture. Thank goodness regulators can and are stepping it to ensure a happy ending.

Margaret Stapleton

Community Justice Director
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law

Governor Quinn Enacts Largest Increase in Health Care Coverage in State History

Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation that enacts a critical part of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) by making Medicaid coverage available to all low-income adults in Illinois. Today’s action delivers on a major priority announced by Governor Quinn in his 2013 State of the State address and is part of his agenda to improve the health of the people of Illinois and increase access to quality health care.

“In the home state of President Obama, we believe access to quality health care is a fundamental right and we proudly embrace the Affordable Care Act,” Governor Quinn said. “This legislation will greatly improve the health of hundreds of thousands of people across Illinois, strengthen our health care system and create thousands of good jobs in the health care field. Thanks to this law and our shared commitment to increasing access to health care coverage in Illinois, the people of Illinois will be healthier and have a higher quality of life.”

Sponsored by State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), Senate Bill 26 will make Medicaid coverage available to adults with annual income below 138 percent of the federal poverty line, which is $15,860 for individuals and $21,408 for couples. The measure is expected to enroll 342,000 people by 2017. Currently, Medicaid is only available to children, their parents or guardians, adults with disabilities or seniors. Enrollment for the newly eligible population will begin Oct. 1 with coverage starting on Jan. 1.

Under the ACA, for the first three years, coverage of newly eligible adults will be 100 percent federally funded. The reimbursement rate will phase down to 90 percent by 2020. State officials estimate this will bring more than $12 billion in new federal funding to support the state’s health care system from 2014 to 2020.

“The Affordable Care Act gives Illinois the resources to provide critical health care services to a population that desperately needs it,” Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Julie Hamos said. “Under Governor Quinn’s leadership, we are reforming our health care system so that it focuses on delivering coordinated care and keeping people healthy through better preventive care, not just paying the bills when they become sick.”

Under Governor Quinn's leadership, Illinois is also increasing access to health coverage through the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace, another major feature of the ACA. The Marketplace, which also launches enrollment Oct. 1 with coverage starting Jan. 1, will be accessed through a user-friendly website where individuals, families and small businesses will be able to compare health care policies and premiums and purchase comprehensive health coverage. Those with income between 138 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level will receive subsidies on a sliding scale if they obtain coverage through the marketplace.

Governor Quinn has long championed access to decent health care for all people. In August 2001, he joined his then 78-year-old Doctor, Dr. Quentin Young, to walk 167 miles across Illinois to advocate for health care for all.

For more information about Illinois' implementation of the ACA, go to HealthCareReform.illinois.gov.

Related Documents
Senate Bill 26 and the Affordable Care Act (PDF)

(This post was taken directly from the Illinois Government News Network press release)