Study: Medicaid expansion lowered debt of low-income individuals

The expansion of Medicaid eligibility through the Affordable Care Act significantly reduced the number of unpaid bills and the amount of debt sent to third-party collection agencies among individuals living in low-income areas, according to a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Estimates from the study suggest that those who gained coverage through Medicaid expansion saw a reduction of $600 to $1,000 in their collection balances. Study