The Governor will be deciding soon whether or not to expand Medicaid eligibility in Kentucky through the Affordable Care Act. If the state does move forward with the expansion, nearly 280,000 uninsured Kentucky adults could receive health coverage. These uninsured Kentuckians who stand to benefit live across the state; in many counties, approximately half of the uninsured would qualify for coverage.
We have previously noted that among the uninsured in Kentucky who would qualify for coverage are workers—including thousands of store clerks, cooks, waiters and waitresses, construction workers, child care workers, hair stylists and nursing home caregivers—and veterans and their spouses. Another important fact about Medicaid expansion in Kentucky is that it would benefit workers across the state—providing coverage for 34 to 63 percent of uninsured Kentucky adults, depending on the county.
The interactive map below shows the approximate percentage of uninsured in each of the state’s counties that would qualify for coverage under Medicaid expansion. For instance, in Owsley County, 63 percent of uninsured adults—approximately 422 people—would qualify for coverage. In Fayette County, 49 percent of the county’s uninsured adults—or nearly 21,000 people—would qualify.
Note: The map was changed from its original version, to focus on Kentucky adults age 18-64.
