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  • A Foundation for Health Reform: Findings of An Annual 50-State Survey of Eligibility Rules, Enrollment and Renewal Procedures and Cost-Sharing Practices in Medicaid and CHIP for Children and Parents During 2009

    Report

    In 2009, despite the bleakest economic picture in years, states managed to safeguard and in some cases expand health coverage for children and parents in their Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's annual 50-state survey of Medicaid and CHIP eligibility rules, enrollment and renewal procedures and cost-sharing Practices. That was in large part due to the substantial help that states received through the congressional reauthorization of CHIP and the…

  • Medicaid and State Budgets: From Crunch to Cliff

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet discusses the status of Medicaid and state budgets in light of the continuing recession and the federal fiscal relief provided to state Medicaid programs through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ARRA money has proved to be critical in helping states address budget shortfalls, preserve Medicaid eligibility and soften program cuts. But ARRA funds are set to expire on Dec. 31, 2010, creating a major cliff in state financing that…

  • The Crunch Continues: Medicaid Spending, Coverage and Policy in the Midst of a Recession

    Event Date:
    Event

    This annual 50-state survey finds that number of people on Medicaid and state spending on the program are climbing sharply as a result of the recession, straining state budgets and pressuring officials to curb costs despite increased financial help from the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The survey finds that these trends are expected to continue well into the 2010 fiscal year, with the slumping economy contributing to the loss…

  • Advancing Access to Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services: Key Issues Based on a Working Group Discussion with Medicaid Experts

    Issue Brief

    This brief highlights key strategies to address financing, program administration and community workforce challenges that key experts, federal and state officials and advocates believe must be overcome to expand access to home and community-based services (HCBS). Among the key ideas drawn from a working group discussion at the Foundation are the benefits of: • providing additional federal financing to states to provide Medicaid HCBS and to administer these benefits; • simplifying the process for states…

  • Efforts in States to Promote Medicaid Community-Based Services and Supports

    Issue Brief

    This brief summarizes lessons in offering more home and community-based services from states at the forefront of the effort. It describes current options for state Medicaid programs and draws on interviews with state officials to provide details about specific policies and procedures in states. Brief (.pdf)

  • Federal Support for Health Information Technology in Medicaid: Key Provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

    Issue Brief

    The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) includes an unprecedented nearly $47 billion federal investment in health information technology initiatives. This e-health snapshot provides an overview of the health information technology provisions in the law that have direct implications for Medicaid. Health Information Technology (HIT) offers the promise of potential improvements in quality of care as well as increased efficiencies in care and cost savings. Medicaid, which covers nearly 60 million people, can…

  • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA): Medicaid and Health Care Provisions

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet examines the assistance for Medicaid programs and key health provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that President Obama signed into law on February 17, 2009. Subjects covered include the temporary increase in federal matching money for state Medicaid programs, subsidies for COBRA health coverage for laid off workers and funding for health information technology. It includes a breakdown of additional federal allocations to states for Medicaid costs under the…

  • Medicaid in a Crunch: A Mid-FY 2009 Update on State Medicaid Issues in a Recession

    Report

    This report relays the perspective of leading state Medicaid directors to describe the fiscal strain on Medicaid and other safety-net programs as enrollment swells and state tax revenues shrink, raising the prospect of program cutbacks. It draws on focused interviews with leading Medicaid directors in November 2008. It augments the most recent Medicaid budget survey report that was based on a survey and interviews with all state Medicaid directors in July and August 2008, at…

  • The Role of Medicaid in State Economies: A Look at the Research

    Issue Brief

    This policy brief synthesizes the results of 29 studies in 23 states that examine the role Medicaid plays in state and local economies. These studies estimate the economic stimulus derived from Medicaid spending, and also analyze the adverse effects on the state economy from reducing Medicaid spending. This policy brief provides an overview of Medicaid financing, explains the methods used to assess economic impact and summarizes the main findings from the research. Executive Summary (.pdf)…

  • Health Coverage in an Economic Downturn: Impact of Tight Budgets on Families and States

    Fact Sheet

    The economic downturn has strained family finances and prompted some Americans to cut back on medications and forgo preventive care and visits to the doctor. At the same time, the downturn has triggered declines in tax revenue that inhibit states’ ability to meet rising Medicaid program costs as enrollment spikes during economic hard times. Many states are expected to struggle to close budget gaps despite moves by Congress and the Obama Administration to temporarily boost…