Challenges facing Medicaid expansion in the US.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) 2010 received two major boosts last year with the upholding of most of the law as legal by the Supreme Court, and the re-election of President Barack Obama. As 2013 proceeds, critical parts of the law are being implemented across the United States. At the heart of the ACA is the federal objective of expanding insurance coverage. A substantial proportion of expanded health insurance is anticipated to be achieved by optional state level expansion of Medicaid (the government plan for poor and disabled people). Currently, there are restrictions on eligibility that vary from state to state. ExtendingMedicaid to those whose income is below 138% of the federal poverty level is projected to increase eligibility for under 65 year olds by about 12million. International comparisons