Who stands to receieve the greatest benefit from ObamaCare?

Answer 1

The greatest immediate benefit goes to those who get free coverage (mostly though the expanded Medicaid system, but some who get full-cost subsidized insurance off the Exchanges). Generally, this is those whose household income falls under about 140% of the Federal Poverty Level (about $33,000 for a family of 4).

The next most benefited group will be those who could not obtain coverage at any possibly afforded price and now can, due to changes in the allowable restrictions on policies. This is primarily the chronic sick - people with even modestly complex medical problems were almost universally denied coverage at any price. These people will be able to buy insurance now at some reasonable rate.

The last group receiving direct immediate benefits will be those self-employed individuals and people working at lower-end jobs. The self-employed will now be able to buy health insurance at likely lower costs than equivalent pre-ACA policies, via the Exchanges (since pricing there is similar to "group" coverage, not the old individual-style). Lower-end employees will be able to obtain coverage, subsidized by either (or both) their employer and the federal government.

Overall, the theory goes that by pushing EVERYONE into a healthcare plan, society as a whole benefits by:

1. Insuring that the general level of health is improved, since everyone can now receive medical care when needed, rather than being unable to afford it and simply being sick
2. Avoiding medical bankruptcies due to uncovered medical expense (due to lack of coverage, or insufficient coverage). Medical bankruptcies/debt are the #1 cause of downward social mobility (i.e. becoming poor, when formerly you were at least middle class), even greater than loss of employment.
3. Pooling risk better, and thus avoid very high premiums on those most in need of coverage. (Though at the expense of making the healthy's coverage more expensive).
4. Avoiding cost-shifting of the uninsured/underinsured's costs to the insured population. Since all unreimbursed costs associated with providing care for the un/underinsured are shifted to the hospital providing said treatment, they are ultimately passed on to those who have coverage, as the hospital must price things appropriately to make back the money it won't be paid.