Health Reform’s Impact on Charity Care

The ACA is changing the traditional role of charity care programs as safety net providers. The ACA’s Medicaid expansion and subsidized marketplace plans are giving millions of uninsured Americans options instead of charity care. This brief explores how four charity care programs in different states – CareLink (TX), Portico Healthnet (MN), Ingham Health Plan (MI), and Kaiser Permanente’s Charitable Health Coverage program (multiple states) – are responding to the changing health care environment. It examines their benefit packages; membership and eligibility; outreach and enrollment strategies; financial models; and new roles in providing consumer assistance.