How was Medicaid affected by the ACA in 2010?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), implemented in 2010, significantly expanded Medicaid in several key ways. One of the main objectives of the ACA was to increase access to healthcare, particularly for low-income individuals and families. As part of this effort, the ACA provided for the expansion of Medicaid eligibility to cover more individuals living at or below 138% of the federal poverty level. This expansion aimed to close the coverage gap, particularly for those who did not qualify for Medicaid under the previous criteria but were unable to afford private insurance.

The ACA also offered enhanced federal funding to states that chose to expand Medicaid, incentivizing them to adopt the expansion. While some states opted out of this expansion, those that did implement it saw a significant increase in the number of people covered by Medicaid. Thus, the ACA played a transformative role in broadening Medicaid's reach, ultimately facilitating access to essential health services for millions of Americans who previously lacked coverage.