Affordable Care Act for Seniors: Benefits Without Obligations

With the roll-out of the health care insurance marketplaces, there have been all kinds of charges and counter-charges. Some in the federal government, including the president, stand in embarrassment as the national website failed miserably in October. It is bouncing back yet some senior citizens are raising concerns about the Affordable Care Act. There is a new report , however, that finds for that segment of the population more benefits without additional obligations.

According to report author Jon Bailey, who is director of the rural public policy program at the Center for Rural Affairs, most of the provisions that directly affect seniors have been in effect since 2010, and they center around enhanced benefits in terms of preventive care and treatment.

They include "more support for purchasing prescription drugs, some wellness and health benefits for senior citizens. So, most of the effects of the Affordable Care Act on senior citizens are positive without any real requirement that they do much different than they're doing now," he said.

Bailey said these added benefits are especially important in rural areas, where the population is older and residents generally receive fewer medical screenings and preventive care procedures than people do in urban settings.

As far as the laws just coming online, such as the requirement that everyone have health insurance, Bailey said they don't really affect seniors, because they have Medicare.

"Medicare meets that mandate, so they're set. They're covered. They don't have to worry about going on to the 'healthcare.gov' website or any of the other state-based marketplaces," he said. "And so, they don't have to worry: as long as they're getting Medicare, they're set."

Bailey added that despite early warnings about the ACA's impact on Medicare Advantage plans, rather than declining, the number of seniors enrolling is actually greater than estimates.

The study is on the Center for Rural Affairs' website.