New Study Examines Patient Payment and the Affordable Care Act

According to a new study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has not impacted federal Community Health Centers (CHCs) in the way that experts initially predicted, with CHCs seeing more patients, many of whom remain uninsured.

CHCs generally exist to help those in disadvantaged communities, such as people who are not eligible for Medicaid or coverage via the health insurance exchange. Before the ACA was signed into law in 2010, the law was expected to cause newly-insured patients to stop using CHCs and go elsewhere for their care.

This study of 31 CHCs from California, Georgia, New York, and Texas shows that CHCs are seeing over 30% more patients now than before the ACA was passed. Many of the patients still using CHCs lack health insurance and need to self-pay.

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