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How Closing the Healthcare Coverage Gap Could Change South Carolina

Thousands of South Carolinians, many of whom are essential workers who have provided critical services during the pandemic, have gone without healthcare for far too long. South Carolina is one of 10 states that has not closed the coverage gap under the federal law that guarantees the matching funds. Both red and blue states have taken advantage of the federal law.

Due to the lack of expansion in South Carolina, there is a large healthcare gap in the state. Some South Carolinians are making too much income to be eligible for Medicaid and also not enough to afford care from the health insurance marketplace, leaving them with no healthcare options in between. This is called the Coverage Gap.

If South Carolina decided to close the coverage gap today, over 345,000 individuals would be able to enroll in Medicaid and have a real option for healthcare. Families would be healthier, small businesses employing these low-wage individuals would have more productive workers, and the state and counties would save significant dollars from being relieved of the financial expense for providing healthcare to the incarcerated.

Visit the following links to learn more about the impact of closing the gap, and visit our two pager below to learn how it would affect South Carolinians today.

The Facts Behind Closing the Healthcare Coverage Gap in South Carolina

Information about Closing the Coverage Gap

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