Realizing Health Reform’s Potential: Adults Ages 50–64 and the Affordable Care Act of 2010

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which will provide health insurance to nearly all U.S. citizens and improve the quality of health insurance, will particularly benefit adults ages 50 to 64, a group suffering from extended unemployment and a loss of employer health benefits. Several early provisions that go into effect in 2010, including preexisting condition insurance plans, will provide transitional assistance for adults who have struggled to gain health insurance. The biggest improvements will come in 2014 through a significant expansion in eligibility for Medicaid and the creation of health insurance exchanges with subsidized private insurance for people with low and moderate incomes. Of the 8.6 million adults ages 50 to 64 who were uninsured in 2009, up to 6.8 million may gain subsidized insurance through Medicaid and the exchanges and 1.4 million with higher incomes will have access to comprehensive health plans with new consumer protections.