The Promise of Affordable Care: Maintaining Coverage During Life Transitions

THE CALIFORNIA Journal of Politics & Policy Volume 3, Issue 4 The Promise of Affordable Care: Maintaining Coverage During Life Transitions Ann O’Leary Center for the Next Generation Elizabeth A. Capell, Ken Jacobs, Laurel Lucia University of California, Berkeley Abstract Americans’ health insurance coverage is not static; people cycle in and out of cov- erage and between sources of coverage during life transitions like losing a job, changing jobs, moving, or divorce. The Affordable Care Act creates an unprece- dented opportunity to address the gaps in health coverage caused by life transitions. Achieving the promise of the Affordable Care Act will require attention in federal regulations and actions by the new health insurance exchanges to ensure seamless coverage for those who rely on private insurance, including job-based coverage. This paper analyzes the population experiencing life transitions that lead to a loss of health coverage and makes several policy recommendations to ensure that all Americans can maintain health coverage under the ACA—even during compli- cated life transitions. Keywords: Affordable Care Act, health policy, Medicare, Medicaid, health insur- ance Copyright © 2011 The Berkeley Electronic Press. All rights reserved. www.bepress.com/cjpp