BIO

Sydney Gross is a first-year accounting student from Allen, TX. The UROP program was an incredible experience for her to develop her skills in data analysis, Stata, and Tableau. Her research interests include insurance and accounting, and she plans to stay involved in undergraduate research throughout her time at Florida State University. After completing her Master's in Accounting, Sydney plans to pursue a career in public accounting and attain her CPA certification. Outside of UROP, she serves as the Honors Student Association's Big/Little Event Chair and a Service Leadership Seminar Facilitator, and is a member of Beta Alpha Psi, Women in Accounting, and Omicron Delta Kappa.

The Affordable Care Act in Rural Areas

Abstract

In 2012, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted. State-level marketplaces were created where individuals could obtain government subsidized health insurance. As the 10 year Anniversary approaches the launching of these ACA exchanges, this project aims to evaluate the successes and failures of the marketplaces. This investigation involves a compilation of data from the ACA Marketplaces beginning in 2014 until most recent data from the 2022 open enrollment period. This study will explore how the ACA marketplaces have impacted rural areas. We expect the ACA exchanges to have been least successful in rural areas. Focusing on silver plans offered in rural counties, the change in cost and competition will be analyzed to determine how effective the marketplaces are in such areas. Methods to evaluate this include a comparison of available plans in different rating areas within the state, and a comparison of how the plans shifted overtime. Furthermore, other health and census data support the exploration of the success of insurance marketplaces in low income areas. This project adds significant value as it is difficult for many people to obtain healthcare in rural areas. By observing how availability and cost has shifted in various rural rating areas, the success of the exchanges can be evaluated. The results will be used to evaluate the current state of the affordable healthcare policies in America, and will determine where additional progress can be made in order to support the U.S. population.

Keywords: business, insurance, affordable care act, rural healthcare, policy