Who Would Gain Coverage Under Medicaid Expansion in Georgia and North Carolina?

Full Medicaid expansion in Georgia and North Carolina would provide health coverage to nearly 800,000 people next year, reducing uninsurance by 32 percent in Georgia and 30 percent in North Carolina.

The Issue

States can expand Medicaid eligibility to nonelderly people with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level under the Affordable Care Act. Georgia and North Carolina are among 12 states that have not expanded eligibility, but key stakeholders are discussing the policy.

Key Findings

• The statewide uninsurance rate would fall from 14.7 percent to 10:0 percent in Georgia and from 12.5 percent to 8.7 percent in North Carolina if they were to fully expanded Medicaid.
  
• By race and ethnicity, the largest reduction in uninsurance would be seen in the Black population (46 percent reduction in Georgia and 49 percent reduction in North Carolina).
  
• Young adults, ages 19 to 34, and adults who didn't complete high school would see large reductions in uninsurance.
  

Conclusion

Increasing coverage through Medicaid expansion would have significant benefits for Georgia and North Carolina. Previous research has shown health coverage saves lives, improves individuals’ financial security, and improves hospital finances.

About the Urban Institute

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.