Millions of Americans appear to be forgoing health insurance –– and paying a tax penalty –– because they believe the health plans on the Obamacare individual marketplace are too expensive.
But why on earth are there millions who are forgoing care that is practically free?
The Wall Street Journal reports there are roughly six million uninsured Americans who would qualify for Medicaid.
To be clear, these aren't the folks who have been left in what might informally be called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act "donut hole" because they live in states that have not expanded Medicaid but do not make enough money to sign up for subsidized plans on the marketplace.
There's only about three million of them.
They either have incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty level and live in states that have expanded Medicaid or they have incomes below 100 percent of the FPL and live in non-expansion states.
In either case, they are entitled to free or near-free coverage.
In an effort to boost enrollment, the federal government is planning to invest tens of millions of dollars into campaigns to get people to sign up.
But unlike enrollment in the marketplace, which the feds hope to boost by raising the penalty for those who don't sign up, most of those who are eligible for Medicaid are exempt from the penalty because their incomes are too low.
That takes a powerful stick away from the federal government's arsenal.
And furthermore, unlike the marketplace, Medicaid does not have a designated enrollment period. The consequences of delaying enrollment are therefore simply not as apparent to potential Medicaid beneficiaries.
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