Estimate of U.S. Health Law Expansion Trimmed to 25 Million
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Two million fewer people than previously estimated will gain health coverage under the U.S. Affordable Care Act as new rules allow some uninsured Americans to avoid a mandate for participation, the Congressional Budget Office said.
About 25 million uninsured people are expected to gain coverage through use of subsidized health plans or an expansion of Medicaid, down from a 27 million estimate made in February, the budget office said today in a report. Proposed regulations from the Treasury and Health and Human Services departments would let as many as 1 million more people escape penalties for going without insurance, the budget office said.