Health insurance

One of the areas of change expected in the new administration is health care. Prior to Obamacare low income people had Medicaid that was started in 1965 and expanded and improved in later years. Medicaid provided low income people with health care that included preventive care, eye and dental care, prescription drug care and overall health care. There were no preexisting exceptions but the major weakness was lack of coverage for single low income people without children. Obamacare expanded Medicaid to include this group. Obamacare also increased the income levels for acceptance and attempted to standardize the various state laws into one federal law. For states that chose not to expand Medicaid coverage there are people whose income are too high to qualify for the old Medicaid but who would qualify for Obamacare if the state had expanded. Nationally there are 2.5 million adults who fall into the gap. Overall about 8 million new people now qualify for health care under Obamacare. One of the possible repeal and replacement options for Obamacare could be the reinstituting of the old Medicaid idea while incorporating the changes brought about through Obamacare. This would include the higher income eligibility and the allowance of 26 year old to remain on their parents plan. The rest of the population would be enrolled in private insurance with changes made to crossing state lines and limited legal liabilities for insurance companies. If such a plan is installed then Obamacare will have made a lasting improvement in the lives of millions.