How does the Affordable Care Act Benefit the Disabled?

Medicaid

• Since 2010 eligibility levels for Medicaid cannot be reduced, and states now have option to expand Medicaid
• States receive incentives to offer home and community-based services, helping you live in your home instead of an institutional setting
• Increased Medicaid payments for primary care services provided by primary care doctors

2014

• Some states expanded Medicaid to everybody under age 65 with incomes up to 133% FPL—no asset test, unfortunately South Carolina refused to do this

Medicare

• Eliminate co‐payments for preventive services

• Exempt preventive services from deductibles on Medicare

• $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who incur cost exceeding their $2,700 worth of coverage, called the donut hole in Medicare Part D

• No guaranteed Medicare benefits are cut

• 50% discount on brand‐name drugs in the donut hole

• Stronger incentives for hospitals to reduce avoidable and harmful re-admissions and reduce medical errors and acquired infections that occur too frequently

• Donut hole is expected to be fully closed; beneficiary cost-sharing reduced to 25% of the total cost of prescription drugs annually

Most importantly, insurers can no longer deny anyone coverage for pre-existing conditions, health premiums cannot be rated based on health status, and no annual or lifetime benefit caps are allowed.