South Carolina's Medicaid Expansion: An Unsolved Problem for Vulnerable Populations

South Carolina is home to millions of residents and is renowned for its subtropical climate and beautiful beaches. Nevertheless, the state's healthcare system faces significant challenges, with a ranking in the bottom 50% of all states, a statistic that warrants serious attention. One of the mo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-12, Vol.15 (12), p.e50028-e50028
Main Authors: Nanu, Douglas P, Tiwana, Hardeep, Carr, Michele M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African Americans
Age
Births
Efficiency
Health care policy
Health services
Indigent care
Infant mortality
Insurance coverage
Medicaid
Minority & ethnic groups
Reproductive health
Uninsured people
Womens health
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Summary:South Carolina is home to millions of residents and is renowned for its subtropical climate and beautiful beaches. Nevertheless, the state's healthcare system faces significant challenges, with a ranking in the bottom 50% of all states, a statistic that warrants serious attention. One of the most pressing healthcare issues in South Carolina is accessibility. The state currently has a higher percentage of its population that is medically uninsured compared to the national average in the United States (18% vs 14%, respectively). Consequently, a lower proportion of South Carolinians enjoy access to healthcare services when compared to residents of other states. Unfortunately, recent efforts to expand coverage for more of its residents via the Medicaid expansion by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been opposed by legislation. Lack of accessible healthcare is a significant issue in this state and the state legislature should increase access, especially to low-income vulnerable populations.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.50028