No abstract

IMPORTANCEMedicaid expansion led to gains in insurance coverage among working-age adults with low income. To date, the extent to which disparities in access and cardiovascular care persist for this population in Medicaid nonexpansion and expansion states is unknown. OBJECTIVE To compare insurance coverage, health care access, and cardiovascular risk factor management between working-age adults (age 18-64 years) with low income in Medicaid nonexpansion and expansion states and between uninsured and insured adults in these states. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study analyzed data on adults aged 18 to 64 years with low income from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from January 1 to December 31, 2019. EXPOSURES State Medicaid expansion and insurance status. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The main outcomes were health care access and monitoring and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors. The estimated adjusted risk difference (RD) in outcomes was estimated to compare adults in Medicaid nonexpansion and expansion states and uninsured and insured individuals in nonexpansion and expansion states. RESULTS The weighted study population consisted of 28 028 451 working-age adults with low income, including 10 094 994 (36.0%) in Medicaid nonexpansion states (63.4% female) and 17 933 457 (64.0%) in expansion states (59.2% female). Adults in nonexpansion states had higher uninsurance rates (42.4% [95% CI, 40.2%-44.7%] vs 23.8% [95% CI, 22.8%-24.8%]), were less likely to have a usual source of care (55.4% [95% CI, 53.1%-57.6%] vs 65.4% [95% CI, 64.3%-66.5%]; adjusted RD, −11.4% [95% CI, −13.9% to −8.8%]) or a recent examination (78.9% [95% CI, 77.0%-80.9%] vs 84.4% [95% CI, 83.5%-85.2%]; RD, −6.2% [95% CI, −8.4% to −4.0%]), and were more likely to have deferred care owing to cost (36.1% [95% CI, 34.0%-38.2%] vs 21.8% [95% CI, 20.9%-22.8%]; RD, 14.2% [95% CI,.6%]) than were those in expansion states. There were no significant differences in cardiovascular risk factor management between these groups. In nonexpansion states, uninsured adults had significantly worse access to care across these measures and were less likely to receive indicated monitoring of cholesterol (72.