Recent studies have uncovered troubling disparities in access to free preventive care mandated by the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. Despite the law’s requirement that most health plans cover preventive services without cost to patients, minority and low-income individuals are more likely to face claim denials and unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.
Research published in JAMA Network Open reveals that insurers are more prone to reject claims from Asian, Black, and Hispanic patients, as well as those with lower incomes. The study, which analyzed 2.5 million preventive care claims filed between 2017 and 2020, found that low-income patients were 43% more likely to have their claims denied compared to high-income patients.
The financial impact of these denials is significant. For patients earning less than $30,000 annually, the median charge for a denied claim was $412, substantially higher than the $365 charged to those earning $100,000 or more. Non-Hispanic white patients consistently faced lower charges for denied claims than any other ethnic group.
A related study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that 40% of privately insured patients incurred charges for preventive care visits that should have been fully covered. This research examined seven preventive services, including screenings for various conditions and wellness visits.
Michal Horny, an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and co-author of the JAMA study, emphasized the importance of preventive care in saving money and preventing diseases. He stated, “What we document is that there are inequities at the starting line.”
These findings highlight the ongoing challenges in implementing the Affordable Care Act’s preventive care provisions and underscore the need for targeted efforts to address racial and economic disparities in healthcare access.
See “Minority Patients More Likely to Be Denied the Free Preventive Care Mandated by Obamacare” (October 7, 2024)
