Limited impact on health and access to care for 19- to 25-year-olds following the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Interruptions in Insurance Coverage and Prescription Drug Utilization: Evidence from Kentucky

This study examined how interruptions in insurance coverage affect purchases of prescription drugs for young adults. It used data spanning 2014 to 2018 from Kentucky's prescription drug monitoring program, which tracked the universe of federally-regulated (Schedule II-V) prescription drugs dispensed in the state. The study employed a regression discontinuity design based on the age limit at 26 for dependent insurance coverage for children. At age 26, the probability of purchasing a prescription decreased by 5%, with all subcategories of prescriptions affected. The share of generic prescriptions increased for stimulants (the only category observed with substantial branded prescriptions). By age 27, prescription purchases returned to levels observed at 25, but the share purchased with public insurance and the generic share for stimulants remained higher. The findings suggest that interruptions in insurance coverage decrease prescription drug utilization by young adults and that public insurance programs such as Medicaid are important for resuming treatment.

Effects of private health insurance on healthcare services during the MERS Pandemic: Evidence from Korea

This study investigates how private health insurance impacted healthcare services during the MERS pandemic in Korea. Using the Korea Health Panel Study (KHPS), this study examines the difference in healthcare utilization between insured and uninsured individuals during the pandemic. If insured individuals use fewer healthcare services than the uninsured during the MERS pandemic, it could be evidence of moral hazard. During the MERS outbreak, the probability of outpatient medical services utilization was lower by 19 % than during non-pandemic periods. All individuals decreased the number of outpatient visits by 7 %. Insured individuals reduced outpatient visits more than the uninsured in response to the MERS pandemic. The increased outpatient utilization by private health insurance could be attributed to both moral hazard and adverse selection. However, given that people with poor health cannot enroll in private health insurance due to the insurance company's screening process, moral hazard leads to increase healthcare utilization rather than adverse selection.

The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Dental Care: An Integrative Literature Review

The goal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to increase access to health insurance and decrease health care cost while improving health care quality. With more articles examining the relationship between one of the ACA provisions and dental health outcomes, we systematically reviewed the effect of the ACA on dental care coverage and access to dental services. We searched literature using the National Library of Medicine's Medline (PubMed) and Thomson Reuters' Web of Science between January 2010 and November 2020. We identified 33 articles related to dental coverage, and access/utilization of dental care services. This systematic review of studies showed that the ACA resulted in gains in dental coverage for adults and children, whereas results were mixed with dental care access. Overall, we found that the policy led to a decrease in cost barriers, an increase in private dental coverage for young adults, and increased dental care use among low-income childless adults. The implementation of the ACA was not directly associated with dental insurance coverage among people in the U.S. However, results suggest positive spillover effects of the ACA on dental care coverage and utilization by people in the national level dataset.

The effects of public health insurance on health behaviors: Evidence from the fifth year of Medicaid expansion

This study examines the longer term relationship between public health insurance expansions and health behaviors. I leverage geographic and temporal variation in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act-facilitated Medicaid expansions and provide the first estimates of the expansions' behavioral impacts during their first 5 years. Using national survey data from the 2010 to 2018 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System and a difference-in-differences regression design, I show that the Medicaid expansions increase utilization of certain forms of preventive care, while reducing heavy drinking. I also find suggestive evidence that the expansions reduce smoking and increase the probability of exercise. These results stand in contrast with earlier studies that used only 2 or 3 years of postexpansion data and found no detectable effect of the Medicaid expansions on health behaviors in the short run. My results, combined with evidence from previous studies, suggest that public insurance expansions may not prompt an immediate change in health behaviors, but newly eligible populations do increase investments in healthy behaviors over time. In the long run, Medicaid expansions may help reduce engagement in risky behaviors like drinking and smoking among low-income people.

Health Care Access and Service Use Among Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Respondents Engaging in High-Risk Sexual Behaviors, 2016

INTRODUCTION

Access to health care services such as screening, testing, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases is vital for those who engage in high-risk behaviors. Studies examining the relationship between high-risk behaviors and health care access and utilization are crucial for determining whether persons at risk are receiving appropriate health services.

METHODS

We examined 2016 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Our study population included persons aged 18 to 65 years. χ and logistic regression analyses were used to examine relationships between high-risk behaviors including drug use and high-risk sexual behaviors, and access to and utilization of health care services.

RESULTS

Among our study population, 6.2% engaged in a high-risk behavior in the past year. Those engaging in high-risk behaviors were more likely to have no health insurance coverage (odds ratio [OR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.34), have no personal health care provider (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06-1.21), have foregone care because of cost (OR 1.54; 95% CI, 1.42-1.65), or have had no routine check-up in the past 2 years (OR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.25).

CONCLUSIONS

Those who engaged in high-risk behaviors had poorer health care access and utilization outcomes. Future studies should incorporate the relationships between changes in behaviors, health care access and utilization, and resulting sexually transmitted disease morbidity.

The National Network of Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinical Prevention Training Centers Turns 40-A Look Back, a Look Ahead

Since 1979, the National Network of Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Clinical Prevention Training Centers (NNPTC) has provided state-of-the-art clinical and laboratory training for STD prevention across the United States. This article provides an overview of the history and activities of the NNPTC from its inception to present day, and emphasizes the important role the network continues to play in maintaining a high-quality STD clinical workforce. Over time, the NNPTC has responded to changing STD epidemiological patterns, technological advances, and increasing private-sector care-seeking for STDs. Its current structure of integrated regional and national training centers allows NNPTC members to provide dynamic, tailored responses to STD training needs across the country.

Young Adult Preventive Healthcare: Changes in Receipt of Care Pre- to Post-Affordable Care Act

PURPOSE

Young adults have unique health and health care needs. Although morbidity and mortality stem largely from preventable factors, they lack a structured set of preventive care guidelines. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), enacted in 2010, increased young adult insurance coverage, prohibited copayments for preventive visits among privately insured and for many preventive services. The objectives were to evaluate pre- to post-ACA changes in young adults' past-year well visits and, among those using a past-year health care visit, the receipt of preventive services.

METHODS

We used pooled Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, comparing pre-ACA (2007-2009, N = 10,294) to post-ACA (2014-2016, N = 10,567) young adults aged 18-25 years. Bivariable and multivariable stratified logistic regression, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, were conducted to determine differences in well visits and in preventive services among past-year health care utilizers: blood pressure and cholesterol checks, influenza immunization, and all three received.

RESULTS

Past-year well visits increased from pre-ACA (28%) to post-ACA (32%), p < .001. Increases were noted for most demographic subgroups with greatest increases among males, Asian, and highest income subgroups. Larger pre- to post-ACA increases were found for most of the preventive services, p < .05, including the receipt of all three services (7% vs. 16%), p < .001, among past-year health care utilizers.

CONCLUSION

Following ACA implementation, young adults experienced modest increases in well visit rates and larger increases in most preventive services received. Overall rates of both remain low. Building on these improvements requires concerted efforts that account for young adults' unique combination of health care issues and challenges in navigating an adult health care system.

Affordable Care Act-dependent Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among Young Adult Women With a Recent Live Birth

BACKGROUND

The Affordable Care Act (ACA)-dependent coverage Provision (the Provision), implemented in 2010, extended family insurance coverage to adult children until age 26.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the impact of the ACA Provision on insurance coverage and care among women with a recent live birth.

RESEARCH DESIGN, SUBJECTS, AND OUTCOME MEASURES

We conducted a difference-in-difference analysis to assess the effect of the Provision using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System among 22,599 women aged 19-25 (treatment group) and 22,361 women aged 27-31 years (control group). Outcomes include insurance coverage in the month before and during pregnancy, and at delivery, and receipt of timely prenatal care, a postpartum check-up, and postpartum contraceptive use.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the Provision was associated with a 4.7-percentage point decrease in being uninsured and a 5.9-percentage point increase in private insurance coverage in the month before pregnancy, and a 5.4-percentage point increase in private insurance coverage and a 5.9-percentage point decrease in Medicaid coverage during pregnancy, with similar changes in insurance coverage at delivery. Findings demonstrated a 3.6-percentage point increase in receipt of timely prenatal care, and no change in receipt of a postpartum check-up or postpartum contraceptive use.

CONCLUSIONS

Among women with a recent live birth, the Provision was associated with a decreased likelihood of being uninsured and increased private insurance coverage in the month before pregnancy, a shift from Medicaid to private insurance coverage during pregnancy and at delivery, and an increased likelihood of receiving timely prenatal care.

Transitions in Rheumatic Disease: Pediatric to Adult Care

Although it has been widely acknowledged for more than two decades that transition from pediatric to adult care is a vulnerable time for adolescents and young adults with rheumatic diseases, current primary and subspecialty care transition and transfer processes remain inadequate. Barriers to improving transition include complex health care systems, neurodevelopmental challenges of adolescents and young adults, and insufficient transition-related education and resources for health care providers. Standardized, evidence-based transition interventions are sorely needed to establish best practices. Quality improvement approaches such as the Six Core Elements of Health Care Transition offer opportunities to improve transition care for teens and young adults.

Health Care Coverage and Access Among Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults, 2010-2016: Implications for Future Health Reforms

PURPOSE

We examine changes to health insurance coverage and access to health care among children, adolescents, and young adults since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

METHODS

Using the National Health Interview Survey, bivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted to compare coverage and access among children, young adolescents, older adolescents, and young adults between 2010 and 2016.

RESULTS

We show significant improvements in coverage among children, adolescents, and young adults since 2010. We also find some gains in access during this time, particularly reductions in delayed care due to cost. While we observe few age-group differences in overall trends in coverage and access, our analysis reveals an age-gradient pattern, with incrementally worse coverage and access rates for young adolescents, older adolescents, and young adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Prior analyses often group adolescents with younger children, masking important distinctions. Future reforms should consider the increased coverage and access risks of adolescents and young adults, recognizing that approximately 40% are low income, over a third live in the South, where many states have not expanded Medicaid, and over 15% have compromised health.

Insurance Enrollment at a Student-Run Free Clinic After the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to increase insurance coverage through government subsidies. Medical student-run free clinics (SRFC) are an important entry point into the healthcare system for the uninsured. SRFCs do not have a standardized approach for navigating the complexities of enrollment. The Weill Cornell Community Clinic (WCCC) developed a unique enrollment model that may inform other SRFCs. Our objective is to describe enrollment processes at SRFCs throughout New York City, and to evaluate enrollment outcomes and persistent barriers to coverage at WCCC. We surveyed SRFC leadership throughout NYC to understand enrollment processes. We evaluated enrollment outcomes at WCCC through chart review and structured phone interviews. Subjects included WCCC patients seen in clinic between October 1, 2013 and September 30, 2015 (N = 140). Demographic information, method of insurance enrollment, and qualitative description of enrollment barriers were collected. SRFCs in New York City have diverse enrollment processes. 48% (N = 42) of WCCC patients obtained health insurance. Immigration status was a barrier to coverage in 21% of patients. Failure to gain coverage was predicted by larger household size (p = 0.02). Gender and employment status were not associated with remaining uninsured. The main barriers to enrollment were inability to afford premiums and lack of interest. Insurance enrollment processes at SRFCs in New York City are mostly ad hoc and outcomes are rarely tracked. Following implementation of the ACA, WCCC stands out for its structured approach, with approximately half of eligible WCCC patients gaining coverage during the study period.

Racial/Ethnic Variation in the Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Insurance Coverage and Access Among Young Adults

OBJECTIVES

To examine the impact of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) 2010 parental insurance coverage extension to young adults aged 19 to 25 years on health insurance coverage and access to care, including racial/ethnic disparities.

METHODS

We pooled data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for the periods 2007 to 2009 and 2011 to 2013 (n = 402 777). We constructed quasiexperimental difference-in-differences models in which adults aged 26 to 35 years served as a control group. Multivariable statistical models controlled for covariates guided by the Andersen model for health care utilization.

RESULTS

On average, insurance rates among young adults increased 6.12 percentage points after ACA implementation (P < .001). All racial/ethnic groups experienced increases in coverage. However, the impact varied by race/ethnicity and was largest for Whites. Young adults had a 2.61 percentage point (P < .001) decrease in experiencing barriers to health care because of cost issues after the ACA, with variation by race/ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

The ACA's expansion had a significant positive effect for young adults acquiring health insurance and reducing cost-related barriers to accessing health care. However, racial/ethnic disparities in coverage and access persist. Public Health Implications. Policies not dependent on parental insurance could further increase access and reduce disparities.

Effects of health insurance coverage on risky behaviors

Prior to implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, dependent health insurance coverage was typically available only for young adults under the age of 19. As of September 2010, the Affordable Care Act extended dependent health insurance coverage to include young adults up to the age of 26. I use the National Health Interview Survey for the sample period from 2011 to 2013 to analyze the causal relationship between the expansion of dependent coverage and risky behaviors including smoking and drinking as well as preventive care. I employ a regression discontinuity design to estimate the causal effect of health insurance coverage and overcome the endogeneity problem between insurance status and risky behaviors. When young adults become 26 years old, they are 7 to 10 percentage points more likely to lose health insurance than young adults under the age of 26. Although young adults over the age of 26 are generally aged out of insurance coverage, presence or absence of health insurance does not affect their smoking and drinking behaviors and their access to preventive care.

Did the Affordable Care Act's Dependent Coverage Expansion Affect Race/Ethnic Disparities in Health Insurance Coverage?

OBJECTIVE

To test the impact of the dependent coverage expansion (DCE) on insurance disparities across race/ethnic groups.

DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING

Survey data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

STUDY DESIGN

Triple-difference (DDD) models were applied to repeated cross-sectional surveys of the U.S. adult population.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS

Data from 6 years (2008-2013) of the NSDUH were combined.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Following the DCE, the relative odds of insurance increased 1.5 times (95 percent CI 1.1, 1.9) among whites compared to blacks and 1.4 times (95 percent CI 1.1, 1.8) among whites compared to Hispanics.

CONCLUSIONS

Health reform efforts, such as the DCE, can have negative effects on race/ethnic disparities, despite positive impacts in the general population.

Research on Clinical Preventive Services for Adolescents and Young Adults: Where Are We and Where Do We Need to Go?

We reviewed research regarding system- and visit-level strategies to enhance clinical preventive service delivery and quality for adolescents and young adults. Despite professional consensus on recommended services for adolescents, a strong evidence base for services for young adults, and improved financial access to services with the Affordable Care Act's provisions, receipt of preventive services remains suboptimal. Further research that builds off successful models of linking traditional and community clinics is needed to improve access to care for all youth. To optimize the clinical encounter, promising clinician-focused strategies to improve delivery of preventive services include screening and decision support tools, particularly when integrated into electronic medical record systems and supported by training and feedback. Although results have been mixed, interventions have moved beyond increasing service delivery to demonstrating behavior change. Research on emerging technology-such as gaming platforms, mobile phone applications, and wearable devices-suggests opportunities to expand clinicians' reach; however, existing research is based on limited clinical settings and populations. Improved monitoring systems and further research are needed to examine preventive services facilitators and ensure that interventions are effective across the range of clinical settings where youth receive preventive care, across multiple populations, including young adults, and for more vulnerable populations with less access to quality care.

Impact of the Affordable Care Act's Dependent Coverage Expansion on the Health Care and Health Status of Young Adults: What Do We Know So Far?

The dependent coverage expansion (DCE), a component of the Affordable Care Act, required private health insurance policies that cover dependents to offer coverage for policyholders' children through age 25. This review summarizes peer-reviewed research on the impact of the DCE on the chain of consequences through which it could affect public health. Specifically, we examine the impact of the DCE on insurance coverage, access to care, utilization of care, and health status. All studies find that the DCE increased insurance coverage, but evidence regarding downstream impacts is inconsistent. There is evidence that the DCE reduced high out-of-pocket expenditures and frequent emergency room visits and increased behavioral health treatment. Evidence regarding the impact of the DCE on health is sparse but suggestive of positive impacts on self-rated health and health behavior. Inferences regarding the public health impact of the DCE await studies with greater methodological diversity and longer follow-up periods.

The Affordable Care Act's Impacts on Access to Insurance and Health Care for Low-Income Populations

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) expands access to health insurance in the United States, and, to date, an estimated 20 million previously uninsured individuals have gained coverage. Understanding the law's impact on coverage, access, utilization, and health outcomes, especially among low-income populations, is critical to informing ongoing debates about its effectiveness and implementation. Early findings indicate that there have been significant reductions in the rate of uninsurance among the poor and among those who live in Medicaid expansion states. In addition, the law has been associated with increased health care access, affordability, and use of preventive and outpatient services among low-income populations, though impacts on inpatient utilization and health outcomes have been less conclusive. Although these early findings are generally consistent with past coverage expansions, continued monitoring of these domains is essential to understand the long-term impact of the law for underserved populations.

The ACA: Impacts on Health, Access, and Employment

On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law. This comprehensive health care reform legislation sought to expand health care coverage to millions of Americans, control health care costs, and improve the overall quality of the health care system. The ACA required that all US citizens and legal residents have qualifying health insurance by 2014. In this paper we give readers a brief overview of the effects of the ACA based on recent research. We then turn our attention to the possibility of using the ACA expansion to answer important underlying questions, such as: To what extent does the holding of insurance lead to improvements in access to care? To what extent does the holding of coverage lead to improvements in health? In mental health? Are there likely general equilibrium effects on labor force participation, hours worked, employment setting, and indeed even the probability of marrying? By necessity, researchers' ability to answer these questions depends on the availability of data, so we discuss current and potential data sources relevant for answering these questions. We also look to what has been studied about the health reform in Massachusetts and early Medicaid expansions to speculate what we can expect to learn about the effects of the ACA on these outcomes in the future.

Key Provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): A Systematic Review and Presentation of Early Research Findings

OBJECTIVES

To conduct a systematic literature review of selected major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) pertaining to expanded health insurance coverage. We present and synthesize research findings from the last 5 years regarding both the immediate and long-term effects of the ACA. We conclude with a summary and offer a research agenda for future studies.

STUDY DESIGN

We identified relevant articles from peer-reviewed scholarly journals by performing a comprehensive search of major electronic databases. We also identified reports in the "gray literature" disseminated by government agencies and other organizations.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Overall, research shows that the ACA has substantially decreased the number of uninsured individuals through the dependent coverage provision, Medicaid expansion, health insurance exchanges, availability of subsidies, and other policy changes. Affordability of health insurance continues to be a concern for many people and disparities persist by geography, race/ethnicity, and income. Early evidence also indicates improvements in access to and affordability of health care. All of these changes are certain to ultimately impact state and federal budgets.

CONCLUSIONS

The ACA will either directly or indirectly affect almost all Americans. As new and comprehensive data become available, more rigorous evaluations will provide further insights as to whether the ACA has been successful in achieving its goals.

Which moral hazard? Health care reform under the Affordable Care Act of 2010

Purpose - Moral hazard is a concept that is central to risk and insurance management. It refers to change in economic behavior when individuals are protected or insured against certain risks and losses whose costs are borne by another party. It asserts that the presence of an insurance contract increases the probability of a claim and the size of a claim. Through the US Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, this study seeks to examine the validity and relevance of moral hazard in health care reform and determine how welfare losses or inefficiencies could be mitigated. Design/methodology/approach - This study is divided into three sections. The first contrasts conventional moral hazard from an emerging or alternative theory. The second analyzes moral hazard in terms of the evolution, organization, management, and marketing of health insurance in the USA. The third explains why and how salient reform measures under the ACA might induce health care consumption and production in ways that could either promote or restrict personal health and safety as well as social welfare maximization. Findings - Insurance generally induces health care (over) consumption. However, not every additional consumption, with or without adverse selection, can be considered wasteful or risky, even if it might cost insurers more in the short run. Moral hazard can generate welfare and equity gains. These gains might vary depending on which ACA provisions, insured population, covered illnesses, treatments, and services, as well as health outcomes are taken into account, and because of the relative ambiguities surrounding definitions of "health." Actuarial risk models can nonetheless benefit from incorporating welfare and equity gains into their basic assumptions and estimations. Originality/value - This is the first study which examines the ACA in the context of the new or alternative theory of moral hazard. It suggests that containing inefficient moral hazard, and encouraging its desirable counterpart, are prime challenges in any health care reform initiative, especially as it adapts to the changing demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the insured population and regulatory landscape of health insurance in the USA.

Relationship of influenza virus infection to associated infections in children who present with influenza-like symptoms

Background

Influenza virus is a major health care burden and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Data on morbidity and complications (pneumonia, otitis media) related to influenza virus infection in primary care settings are limited with reports mainly obtained from hospital settings. We assessed the prevalence of complications from viral/bacterial infections in influenza- positive compared with influenza- negative children presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI) in a primary care setting.

Methods

This retrospective, practice-based chart review studied complications from viral/bacterial infections in 255 children and adolescents (females/males, 1-21 years) who presented with ILI. We also compared the prevalence of complications by influenza vaccination status between influenza positive (N = 32/121) and influenza negative (N = 50/134) cases (2013-2015). Comparisons for categorical variables were made using chi-squared tests.

Results

The prevalence of complications was similar in influenza positive (18/121) and influenza negative (22/134) patients (P = NS). Patients presenting with ILI, who were vaccinated, were less likely to test positive for influenza compared with patients who were not vaccinated (P = 0.064). However, prevalence of infections was similar in both groups based on vaccination status. We did not find any effect of type of health insurance on influenza status (P > 0.05)

Conclusion

Common respiratory complications of seasonal influenza did not differ in influenza positive compared with influenza negative patients. Vaccination with influenza vaccine may result in decreased duration or severity of symptoms, and remains an important public health intervention. In primary care settings, determination of influenza status may be an important tool for clinicians to predict the likelihood of complications.

Healthcare Use and Mammography Among Latinas With and Without Health Insurance Near the US-Mexico Border

INTRODUCTION

Among Latinas, lacking health insurance and having lower levels of acculturation are associated with disparities in mammography screening.

OBJECTIVE

We seek to investigate whether differences in lifetime mammography exist between Latina border residents by health insurance status and health care site (i.e., U.S. only or a combination of U.S. and Mexican health care).

METHODS

Using data from the 2009 to 2010 Ecological Household Study on Latino Border Residents, mammography screening was examined among (n = 304) Latinas >40 years old.

RESULTS

While more acculturated women were significantly (p < .05) more likely to report ever having a mammogram than less acculturated women, ever having a mammogram was not predicted by health care site or insurance status.

CONCLUSION

Latinas who utilize multiple systems of care have lower levels of acculturation and health insurance, thus representing an especially vulnerable population for experiencing disparities in mammography screening.

Current Issues in Transitioning from Pediatric to Adult-Based Care for Youth with Chronic Health Care Needs

For over 25 years, with medical advances increasing the lifespan of YYASHCN, we have been aware of the need to improve health care transition to adult-based care services. Barriers to health care transition have been identified and in a number of settings, recognition of the problem and preliminary success has been achieved for pilot programs. Evidence-based solutions to improve health care transition for YYASHCN are needed. There are barriers at the patient, family, pediatric, and adult provider, and insurance system levels that must be overcome.

Continued Gains in Health Insurance but Few Signs of Increased Utilization: An Update on the ACA's Dependent Coverage Mandate

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the Affordable Care Act's dependent coverage mandate impact on insurance take-up and health services use through the second full year of implementation.

DATA

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2006 to 2012.

STUDY DESIGN

Difference-in-difference regressions comparing pre-/postpolicy-outcome changes between 19- to 25-year-olds and 27- to 34-year-olds.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Following significant increases in 2011, insurance take-up among 19- to 25-year-olds leveled off overall in 2012. However, increases in coverage for Black young adults were higher in 2012 compared to 2011. Despite increased coverage, there is little evidence of an overall effect on health services use postmandate. Evidence points to increased doctor visits and emergency department visits among Hispanics in the first year postmandate.

CONCLUSIONS

The Affordable Care Act young adult mandate led to significant gains in insurance take-up, though evidence suggests that the bulk of the gains occurred in the first year after the mandate. Gains for Black young adults appear to have picked up in 2012.

Changes in Young Adult Primary Care Under the Affordable Care Act

OBJECTIVES

We sought to describe changes in young adults' routine care and usual sources of care (USCs), according to provider specialty, after implementation of extended dependent coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010.

METHODS

We used Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data from 2006 to 2012 to examine young adults' receipt of routine care in the preceding year, identification of a USC, and USC provider specialties (pediatrics, family medicine, internal medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology).

RESULTS

The percentage of young adults who sought routine care increased from 42.4% in 2006 to 49.5% in 2012 (P < .001). The percentage identifying a USC remained stable at approximately 60%. Among young adults with a USC, there was a trend between 2006 and 2012 toward increasing percentages with pediatric (7.6% vs 9.1%) and family medicine (75.9% vs 80.9%) providers and declining percentages with internal medicine (11.5% vs 7.6%) and obstetrics and gynecology (5.0% vs 2.5%) providers.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts under the ACA to increase health insurance coverage had favorable effects on young adults' use of routine care. Monitoring routine care use and USC choices in this group can inform primary care workforce needs and graduate medical education priorities across specialties.

Children, Families, and Disparities: Pediatric Provisions in the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act has caused and continues to cause sweeping changes throughout the health system in the United States. Poorly explained, complex, controversial, confusing, and subject to continuous legal and regulatory definition, the law stands as a hallmark piece of legislation that will change the health sector in America forever. This article summarizes the Affordable Care Act with a focus on children, families, and disparities. Also provided is the context of the current system of health care coverage in the United States.