States Wonder Just How Big An Impact Health Law Dollars Will Have
An analysis in Minnesota expects the state to receive only about $42 million in increased state revenue between fiscal years 2010 and 2015 from the health law. Meanwhile, budget cuts -- even with the increase in coverage from the health law -- have some Pennsylvanians worried that the mental health coverage gap could persist.
MinnPost: Early Analysis Shows Limited Minnesota Revenue Impact From Health Care Law
On Monday, the state House Taxes Committee reviewed how the Affordable Care Act could alter the state's revenue projections. … It turns out the law won't do much at the state level. According to staff analysis, the tax hikes in the ACA will amount to about $42 million in increased state revenue between fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2015 (Nord, 7/23).
Philadelphia Inquirer: Affordable Care Act Will Expand Mental Health Coverage, But Budget Cuts A Worry
Mentally ill people will have a much easier time accessing care two years from now, thanks to the new federal health care law. But advocates worry that current budget cuts may create a shortage of the very mental health services the newly insured will want to use. In 2008, 67,560 uninsured people in Pennsylvania did not get mental health care because they could not afford the services, according to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. That number should drop dramatically by 2014, when the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all American citizens to have health coverage that will include mental health services (Gaestel, 7/23).