Insurance coverage and access to care for workers with disabilities, 2001-2017

Area of Science:

• Health policy research
• Disability studies
• Public health

Background:

• Workers with disabilities face unique challenges in health insurance and care access.
• The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) significantly altered health insurance in the U.S. starting in 2010.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the ACA's impact on health insurance coverage and care access for workers with disabilities.
• To compare these changes with those experienced by other worker populations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2001-2017 National Health Interview Survey.
• Examined trends in health insurance coverage and access to care among workers with disabilities.

Main Results:

• Insurance coverage for workers with disabilities rose from 79.9% in 2009 to 87.8% in 2017.
• Gains were driven by increased Medicaid and privately purchased insurance, alongside a decline in employer-sponsored coverage.
• Cost-related access barriers showed little change, while structural barriers increased for workers with disabilities post-ACA.

Conclusions:

• The ACA improved insurance coverage for workers with disabilities.
• Further research is needed to determine if coverage gains translate to better health care access.