Impact of Medicaid expansion on mortality in the U.S. 2014-2017

It is estimated that approximately 19.2 thousand lives were saved between 2014 and 2017, due to states expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. In contrast, 15.6 thousand lives were lost prematurely due to states unwilling to expand Medicaid. Medicaid expansion (increasing eligibility up to 138% FPL) provided health insurance coverage to many previously uninsured, improving their access to health care and medication. It is estimated that the lifesaving impact of Medicaid expansion is as large as a 39-64 percent reduction in annual mortality rates among older adults who gained insurance coverage. This drop in mortality was driven by significantly less deaths from chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, which are diseases amenable to medication and other treatment. A closer look shows that most lives were saved in California, and conversely most lives were lost in Texas. This statistic presents the cumulative impact of Medicaid expansion on mortality among older adults aged 55-64 years between 2014 and 2017.