This report from the Urban Institute is a look at how 10 states considered the economic and fiscal trade offs if they were to expand their Medicaid programs. The report found that in each state where relatively comprehensive analyses of costs and fiscal gains were conducted, the net result showed that, on balance, Medicaid expansion would yield state fiscal advantages.
Category: Medicaid
States estimates of the low income uninsured not eligible even if their home states expanded Medicaid through ACA
This issue brief from the SHADAC (State Health Access Data Assistance Center) of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation details with maps and tables which states are most likely to have low income uninsured adults who even with ACA’s Medicaid expansion would remain uninsured. Kansas is in the top tier with over 10.1%. It is estimated that 4% of Kansas’ ~1.7 million nonelderly (less than 65) adults are either undocumented or recent legal immigrants. Eight percent of its 391,000 low income, less than 138% of the federal poverty level ($15,856 for a single person), nonelderly adults are either undocumented or recent legal immigrants. And about 13% of its low income uninsured nonelderly adults are either undocumented or recent legal immigrants. The average for the US is higher at 17% because of states like California, Texas, and even some northeast states like Massachusetts and New Jersey which have higher percentages and larger populations pulling the mean upward.
Clock ticking for states to decide on expanding criteria for Medicaid eligibility to take advantage of health reform
This Politico Pro article highlights the logistic issues currently facing states that have not yet decided to expand their Medicaid eligibility criteria and take advantage of the feds paying the full bill for several years. Jason Millman also writes that for states that have not yet said yes it may be 2015 before they can tap into those monies. Kansas is one of five states leaning toward not participating. New York is leaning toward participating. And the remainder have declared one way or the other. For a good map of the current national situation click here.
By JASON MILLMAN | 5/23/13 5:09 AM EDT
“States still mired in the fight over the Obamacare Medicaid expansion are starting to give up on their first year of full funding — and it’s unclear whether they would be able to tap into the money before 2015. Expansion remains an open question in about a dozen states after months of legislative fights. As more states continue to wrap up their budgets, some are already looking to next year’s legislative sessions as their next shot at the expansion, even amid calls for state legislatures to return for special sessions.”
Medicaid delivering higher quality care than it is often given credit for
This article highlights a study that shows when one compares Medicaid to other insurance policies for low income Americans, Medicaid does better. Usually studies compare Medicaid to understandably higher quality insurance policies for much better off Americans.
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