Medicaid Expansion in Nebraska: Addressing Socioeconomic Inequities

Abstract

In November 2018, Nebraska voters passed Initiative Measure No. 427 to expand Medicaid coverage in Nebraska. Medicaid expansion will provide health insurance to nearly 90,000 low-income Nebraskans. Often, these 90,000 Nebraskans are referred to as stuck in “the coverage gap,” meaning they are ineligible for Medicaid but do not make enough money to qualify for premium tax credits on the Health Insurance Marketplace to make insurance affordable. States that have not expanded Medicaid generally “have no eligibility for childless adults who are not disabled, and mandatory coverage levels for parents are very low.” The lack of coverage available for childless adults and very low eligibility levels for parents result in “significant inequities in adults’ Medicaid income eligibility nationwide” that “lead to disparities in the rate of uninsured adults.” By expanding Medicaid to cover those traditionally unserved by Medicaid and the private insurance market, Nebraska is taking a significant step forward in addressing socioeconomic inequities in the state.