ACA Coverage and the Changing Labor Market: Voices from the Field

Methods

These observations are based on nine focus group discussions conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Belden Russonello Strategists in six cities during January and February 2016. Sites included Baltimore, MD; Richmond, VA; Columbus, OH; St. Louis, MO; Oakland, CA; and Tampa, FL. All participants were enrolled in either Medicaid or Marketplace coverage and had incomes equal to 250% of the federal poverty level or less. Each focus group consisted of 9-11 participants, with a total of 91 participants including 30 covered by Medicaid and 61 covered through the Marketplace. Participants were selected to provide a mix of demographic characteristics. Of the 91 participants, 76 were working at full or part-time jobs. For a more complete description of methods and participant characteristics, see the Methods section and Appendix A of the issue brief Is ACA Coverage Affordable for Low-Income People? Perspectives from Individuals in Six Cities, which presents the focus groups’ major findings.