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As unemployment claims skyrocket amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, this analysis examines the potential loss of job-based coverage among people in families where someone lost employment between March 1 and May 2 and estimate their eligibility for ACA coverage as of May and January 2021, when most will have exhausted their unemployment benefits.
This brief summarizes state changes to Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and enrollment policies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, beyond those required to access enhanced federal funding. It is based on KFF analysis of approved Medicaid and CHIP state plan amendments (SPAs) and information on state websites as of May 21, 2020.
This Visualizing Health Policy infographic looks at eligibility and coverage trends in employer-sponsored health insurance. Between 2000 and 2015, the share of workers covered by health benefits offered by their employers dropped from 63 percent to 56 percent, with some firms not offering coverage and some employees not enrolling when coverage is offered. The biggest decrease occurred among employees working for small firms (3-199 workers). Among people younger than 65, those with lower incomes continued to…
The Trump Administration and new Congress have indicated that they will seek to cap Medicaid financing through a block grant or per capita cap, reduce federal funding for the program, and offer states increased flexibility to manage their programs within this more limited financing structure. The size of the federal reductions as well as which federal program standards would remain in place and what increased flexibility might be provided to states under such proposals would…
Under the Trump Administration, some Republican governors may look to move their Medicaid programs in a more conservative direction. In his latest column for Axios, Drew Altman discusses the arguments about Medicaid “work requirements” and why few people are likely to be affected by them in practice.
This webinar includes a brief presentation on the law's Medicaid expansion, where states stand on implementation, and the impact of state decisions on coverage and financing. The Foundation's Medicaid experts also answer journalists' questions.
With some states grappling over whether to expand Medicaid, and Congress facing big decisions about the future of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), this briefing reviewed the basics about both programs, and discuss current issues. Co-hosted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Alliance for Health Reform, KFF's Diane Rowland and Ed Howard of the Alliance moderated the discussion.
This brief highlights how state eligibility policies for incarcerated individuals differ, based on a review of state statutes, regulations, Medicaid eligibility manuals and other Medicaid agency guidance publicly available online and Medicaid managed care contracts. Overall, state Medicaid eligibility policies for justice-involved individuals moving into and out of incarceration vary, and these policies affect if and when individuals may enroll in Medicaid and the scope of any resulting savings.
Arkansas is one of seven states for which CMS has approved a Section 1115 waiver to condition Medicaid eligibility on meeting work and reporting requirements and the first state to implement this type of waiver. The new requirements were phased in for most enrollees ages 30-49 beginning in June 2018, and for individuals ages 19-29 starting in January 2019. Unless exempt, enrollees must engage in 80 hours of work or other qualifying activities each month…
In the 39 states that are adopting or may adopt the high unemployment hardship exception, about 1.4 million or 7.5% of Medicaid expansion enrollees live in one of the 133 counties that currently meet the high-unemployment criteria.
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