Medicaid
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Off the Charts Blog Post: In Case You Missed It…
September 3, 2010
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Failing to Extend Fiscal Relief to States Will Create New Budget Gaps, Forcing Cuts and Job Loss in at Least 34 States
Revised August 13, 2010
If Congress does not extend the enhanced Medicaid matching funds in last year’s Recovery Act, most states will cut public services or raise taxes for the fiscal year that begins July 1 by even more than they are already planning – laying off tens of thousands more teachers and other public employees, cutting education funding more … -
State-By-State Numbers: Critical Fiscal Relief at Stake In Tuesday’s House Vote
August 6, 2010
States stand to lose significant amounts of fiscal relief if legislation that the Senate approved yesterday, and the House is due to take up next week, fails to become law. The level of losses is shown on a state-by-state basis in the table below. Because of the long and deep recession, states have begun their third consecutive year … -
Health Reform Expands Medicaid Coverage For People with Disabilities
July 29, 2010
The new health reform law will cover over 30 million uninsured Americans, including 16 million low-income adults and children through Medicaid. A substantial number of the people who will gain Medicaid coverage under health reform have disabilities or chronic health care conditions. Medicaid is … -
Federal Spending Target of 21 Percent of GDP Not Appropriate Benchmark for Deficit-Reduction Efforts
July 28, 2010
The average level of federal spending over the years since 1970 — about 21 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) — does not provide a reasonable benchmark for the level of spending that will be necessary or appropriate in the future. The Heritage Foundation has proposed that, in developing its recommendations, the … -
The Ryan Budget's Radical Priorities
Revised July 7, 2010
I. Summary The Roadmap for America’s Future, which Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) — the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee — released in late January, calls for radical policy changes that would result in a massive transfer of resources from the broad majority of Americans to the nation’s … -
Childless Adults Who Become Eligible for Medicaid in 2014 Should Receive Standard Benefits Package
July 6, 2010
Among those who will qualify for Medicaid when the program is expanded nationwide to 133 percent of the poverty line in 2014 are poor and low-income adults who do not have a disability or live with an eligible child, a group that is uninsured at higher rates and has greater health care needs than other uninsured groups. The health reform law … -
Podcast: Testimony of Robert Greenstein before the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
June 30, 2010
Robert Greenstein, the Center’s Executive Director, discusses the need to be careful in addressing budget deficit in a testimony before the President’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform on June 30th, 2010.
Duration: 6:46
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Testimony of Robert Greenstein, Executive Director and Jim Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy before the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
June 30, 2010
Members of the Commission, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak to you today. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is a nonpartisan research and policy institute that focuses both on fiscal policy and on programs and policies of particular importance to low- and moderate-income … -
What States and the Economy Lost When the Senate Jobs Bill Failed
Updated June 24, 2010
The Senate’s failure to pass its version of jobs legislation, which would have extended federal assistance to states, will force the states – which are struggling with an unprecedented drop in revenues due to the recession – to make even deeper spending cuts and raise taxes even … -
Medicaid Expansion in Health Reform Not Likely to “Crowd Out” Private Insurance
June 22, 2010
Contrary to claims by some critics, the Medicaid expansion in the new health reform law will overwhelmingly provide coverage to people who otherwise would be uninsured, rather than shift people who already have private coverage to Medicaid. Under the new law, beginning in 2014 Medicaid will cover non-elderly individuals with incomes … -
Federal Government Will Pick Up Nearly All Costs of Health Reform’s Medicaid Expansion
Revised June 18, 2010
Health reform’s critics argue that states will bear a significant share of the costs of the new law’s Medicaid expansion, placing an unaffordable financial burden on states. The argument does not withstand scrutiny. In its first five years, the Medicaid expansion will add just 1.25 percent to … -
Health Reform Is a Good Deal for States
Revised June 18, 2010
Contrary to claims that the health reform law’s Medicaid expansion will place an unaffordable burden on states, the federal government will shoulder nearly all of the cost of the expansion, which will cover 16 million low-income children and adults while raising state Medicaid spending by just 1.25 percent compared to … -
Podcast: Health Reform is a Good Deal for States
May 11, 2010
Policy Analyst, January Angeles, discusses how the Medicaid expansion in the new health reform law is a good deal for states. Duration: 3:58
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Ryan’s Response to Center’s Analysis of “Roadmap” Is Off Base
Revised May 6, 2010
We are quite disappointed that, in responding to our analysis[1] of his budget plan, Rep. Paul Ryan accuses[2] the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities of “partisan demagoguery” as well as “factual errors and misleading statements.” Quite the contrary, we applied the same rigorous analytical process to Rep. Ryan’s Roadmap for America’s … -
No Need to Wait Until 2014: States Can Cover Low-Income Adults in Medicaid Now
April 20, 2010
The new health reform law (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA) includes a new minimum Medicaid eligibility standard that will allow millions of uninsured low-income adults to qualify for Medicaid. The new standard, which takes effect in January 2014, provides coverage for all otherwise eligible individuals with incomes … -
New Citizenship Documentation Option for Medicaid and Chip Is Up and Running
April 20, 2010
A key provision of the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) is helping to reduce the detrimental effects of a Medicaid citizenship documentation requirement enacted in 2006 that has caused many eligible citizen children, pregnant women, and parents to lose or be denied health coverage. The CHIPRA provision gives … -
Media Briefing: Debunking Claims That Health Reform Will Not Reduce the Deficit
March 29, 2010
Robert Greenstein, and former senior Congressional Budget Office (CBO) officials James Horney and Paul Van de Water, discuss claims that the health reform legislation will not reduce the deficit because of gimmicks in it – despite an official CBO estimate to the contrary. Robert Reischauer, former CBO Director and now President of the Urban Institute, also joins the briefing.
Duration: 20:42
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Holding the Line on Medicaid and CHIP
March 26, 2010
Issued Jointly With The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA; Public Law 111-148), signed into law on March 23, 2010, requires that states maintain their current eligibility standards for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirements apply to adults … -
Health Reform Will Reduce the Deficit
March 25, 2010
Despite an official estimate by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to the contrary, some critics of the new health reform legislation — such as Rep. Paul Ryan and former CBO director and McCain campaign adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin — charge that it will not reduce federal budget deficits because it relies on budgetary gimmicks … -
Media Briefing: The Ryan Budget’s Radical Priorities
March 10, 2010
Robert Greenstein and Paul Van de Water discuss the radical priorities in Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget proposal in a media call on March 10, 2010.
Duration: 21:34
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Recession Threatens State Health Care Programs
March 4, 2010
In considering “jobs legislation” in the weeks ahead, Congress will decide whether to extend the temporary increase in federal support for state Medicaid programs that last year’s economic recovery legislation provided. Failure to do so would lead to deeper state budget cuts that cost substantial numbers of jobs, as well as … -
Health Reform Essential for Reducing Deficit and Slowing Health Care Costs
February 3, 2010
Because rising health care costs represent the single largest cause of the federal government’s long-term budget problems, fundamental health reform must be part of any budget solution.[1] President Obama observed at a recent town hall meeting: “If you are serious about reducing our deficit and debt you cannot accomplish it without reforming … -
A Foundation for Health Reform: Findings of a 50 State Survey of Eligibility Rules, Enrollment and Renewal Procedures, and Cost- Sharing Practices in Medicaid and CHIP for Children and Parents During 2009
December 8, 2009
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Statement: Robert Greenstein to Health Reform Financing Roundtable of the Senate Finance Committee
May 12, 2009
Thank you for inviting me to discuss health care reform financing issues. This is an important aspect of health care reform. Financing is Critical Some 46 million Americans are uninsured, a problem that other western industrialized nations have been able to address. In addition, rising health care costs … -
Online Information About Key Low-Income Benefit Programs
Revised April 27, 2009
Virtually all states have made information regarding the five main state-administered low-income benefit programs — food stamps, Medicaid, SCHIP, TANF and child care — available to the public via the internet. There is significant variation between what online information is provided … -
New Children's Health Law Reduces the Harmful Impact of Documentation Requirement
April 23, 2009
The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) enacted in February contains several provisions to reduce the harmful impact of Medicaid’s citizenship documentation requirement, which has caused many eligible citizen children to lose or be denied coverage … -
Mississippi’s “Face-To-Face” Rule Blocks Coverage of Eligible People, Not Fraud
March 25, 2009
Since 2005, Mississippi has required low-income adults, including parents trying to secure health coverage for their children, to travel to a state office for a face-to-face meeting in order to receive or renew benefits in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Mississippi is the only state requiring face-to-face … -
Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility Is Protected For Jobless Families That Receive Boost in Unemployment Benefits
March 20, 2009
An estimated 17.9 million jobless workers who become unemployed in 2009 will see their unemployment benefits increase by $25 per week under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).[1] While unemployment benefits typically are included as income when determining eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP, ARRA excludes this additional $25 per week from the … -
States Should Tap New Tools to Help Medicaid Beneficiaries Maintain Coverage
March 12, 2009
States should adopt two important new options, enacted in February under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), that would help more low-income Medicaid beneficiaries maintain their health coverage when they reenter the workforce or see their earnings increase, while also lowering states’ administrative costs. Under the Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA) program, … -
Improving Medicaid as Part of Building on the Current System to Achieve Universal Coverage
February 24, 2009
The U.S. health care system suffers from a number of problems. Almost 46 million individuals were uninsured in 2007, an increase of 6 million people since 2001. Employer-based coverage, the primary source of health insurance across the nation, continues to erode. Costs continue to rise and bear primary responsibility for the … -
Recovery Act Provides Much-Needed, Targeted Medicaid Assistance To States
February 13, 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes an $87 billion temporary increase in the share of Medicaid that the federal government would pay over nine calendar quarters (October 1, 2008, through December 31, 2010). It would provide three elements of Medicaid fiscal relief assistance to states, as outlined below.… -
Measure in House Recovery Package — But Not Senate Package — Would Help Unemployed Parents Receive Health Coverage
February 9, 2009
The economic recovery package that the House passed on January 28 would establish a temporary option for states to provide Medicaid coverage to certain workers (and their families) who have become unemployed during this recession. This provision, which is not in the Senate package, would help address a problem many parents face … -
Challenges of Providing Health Coverage for Children and Parents in a Recession
January 27, 2009
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/7855.pdf -
Policy Basics: Introduction to Medicaid
December 17, 2008
What Is Medicaid? Created by Congress in 1965, Medicaid is a public insurance program that provides health coverage to low-income families and individuals, including children, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is funded jointly by the federal government and the states. Each state operates its own Medicaid program within … -
Louisiana's Medicaid Waiver Proposal
December 17, 2008
In the Louisiana Health Care Reform Act of 2007, the Louisiana legislature put the state on a path intended to transform how Medicaid beneficiaries and low-income uninsured people get health care services. The Act directed the state Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) to establish a “medical home system of care” with the goal of improving patient … -
The Long-Term Fiscal Outlook Is Bleak
December 16, 2008
This report updates the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ projections of federal spending, revenues, deficits, and debt through 2050. These projections — like the projections the Center issued in January 2007 and the projections by other institutions such as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Government Accountability … -
Podcast: Long Term Deficit Projections Highlight Need for Action
December 16, 2008
This podcast discusses a report that provides updated long-term federal budget projections. The report describes the factors driving the big increases in deficits and debt projected for the next several decades, such as rapidly rising health care costs and revenues that are inadequate to cover even current expenditures. This podcast features the Center's Executive Director Robert … -
Rhode Island's Medicaid Proposal Would Put Beneficiaries at Risk and Undermine the Federal-State Partnership
September 4, 2008
On August 8, Rhode Island applied for federal permission to radically transform its Medicaid program in ways that could profoundly affect beneficiaries.[1] If approved, the proposal could also set a national precedent that would affect low-income people in other states who rely on Medicaid to obtain needed health care. The proposal … -
Expanding Medicaid a Less Costly Way to Cover More Low-Income Uninsured Than Expanding Private Insurance
June 26, 2008
Average medical expenditures[1] per person are lower under public programs like Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) than under private insurance, according to new research published by Health Affairs.[2] The new research, by Leighton Ku of George Washington University and Matthew Broaddus of the Center on Budget and Policy … -
Statement by Robert Greenstein on the House Supplemental Funding Bill
May 15, 2008
The House supplemental funding bill makes important changes to domestic policy by temporarily extending unemployment benefits and imposing a moratorium on harmful Medicaid regulations. The unemployment measure would provide, on a temporary basis, an extra 13 weeks of jobless benefits to workers … -
Delaying Adminstration's Medicaid Regulations Will Not Weaken the Program's Fiscal Integrity
April 25, 2008
The Bush Administration has threatened a veto of H.R. 5613, the “Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008,” which the House passed 349-62 on April 23.[1] The bill would place a moratorium until April 1, 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations that the Administration has issued over the past year. H.R. 5613 would delay … -
Administration Moves to Withdraw Key Health Services from Children and Adults with Mental Illness and Other Disabilities
Revised March 21, 2008
On August 13, 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a proposed regulation that would eliminate federal Medicaid funding for important services provided to adults and children with disabilities (particularly those with mental illness), as well as other beneficiaries. The rule would significantly limit states’ … -
Administration’s Medicaid Regulations Will Weaken Coverage, Harm States, and Strain Health Care System
Revised March 4, 2008
Over the last year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a series of Medicaid regulations that could significantly affect health care at the state and local level. [1] These regulations, most of which alter longstanding Medicaid policies, do not require congressional approval. In fact, in some cases Congress … -
The Dubious Priorities of the President's FY 2009 Budget
Revised February 7, 2008
The President’s budget would provide more tax cuts heavily skewed to the most well-off while cutting vital services for low- and moderate-income Americans, generating large deficits, and increasing the strain on states already confronting budget problems as a result of the economic downturn. The budget … -
New Medicaid Rules Would Limit Care for Children in Foster Care and People with Disabilities in Ways Congress Did Not Intend
Revised March 6, 2007
On December 4, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published interim final rules governing case management services provided by state Medicaid programs.[1] CMS claims the new rules are necessary to implement changes Congress made in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA). In fact, the rules go well beyond what … -
Administration Moves to Eviscerate Efforts to Enroll Uninsured Low-Income Children in Health Coverage through the Schools
September 17, 2007
While deep disagreements emerged between Congress and the Bush Administration last year in the debate over reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), all sides agreed that states should do all they can to enroll low-income children who are currently eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP. And while the Administration issued … -
Collateral Damage: Children Can Lose Coverage When Their Parents Lose Health Insurance
September 17, 2007
A substantial body of research indicates that providing public health insurance coverage to low-income parents is an effective means of improving the enrollment of eligible, but uninsured, low-income children in public programs like Medicaid or SCHIP.[1] A recent study by Dr. Jennifer DeVoe and her colleagues at Oregon Science and Health … -
The False "Public Versus Private" Choice for Children’s Health Coverage
June 21, 2007
As Congress considers the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), groups like the Heritage Foundation are making a strong push to change the way coverage is provided to eligible low-income children.[1] They claim Congress must choose between “government-run health care” and private … -
New Research Shows Simplifying Medicaid Can Reduce Children’s Hospitalizations
June 11, 2007
New research indicates that increasing the continuity of children’s Medicaid coverage reduces subsequent hospitalizations for chronic health conditions like asthma or diabetes. The research — a new study conducted by Dr. Andrew Bindman and his associates at the University of California at San Francisco, which was unveiled at a … -
Can Incentives for Healthy Behavior Improve Health and Hold Down Medicaid Costs?
June 1, 2007
The impact of individual behavior on the cost of health care is attracting a great deal of attention from policymakers. A number of state Medicaid programs are offering rewards for healthy behavior or considering this step, assuming that financial incentives will improve the health of Medicaid beneficiaries and help hold down health care … -
Comparing Public and Private Health Insurance for Children
May 11, 2007
In considering the pending reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), some have recommended that Congress use federal funds to subsidize purchasing private health insurance rather than expanding public health insurance, like Medicaid or SCHIP.[1] Some may reflexively assume that private health insurance is … -
Reducing Disparities in Health Coverage for Legal Immigrant Children and Pregnant Women
Revised April 20, 2007
A key health policy success of the past decade is the substantial reduction in the number of uninsured children, primarily due to improvements in Medicaid and the creation of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).[1] However, while there are fewer uninsured citizen children, the percentage of low-income immigrant children who lack … -
President's "Affordable Choices" Initiative Provides Little Support for State Efforts to Expand Health Coverage
April 3, 2007
The large and growing number of Americans without health care coverage is increasingly a focus of attention, especially at the state level.[1] A number of states are now considering proposals to expand coverage, and several states have already adopted such plans. The federal government has an important role to play in these efforts.… -
New Medicaid Citizenship Documentation Requirement is Taking a Toll: States Report Enrollment Is Down and Administrative Costs Are Up
Revised March 13, 2007
A new federal law that states were required to implement July 1 is creating a barrier to health-care coverage for U.S. citizens — especially children — who are eligible for health insurance through Medicaid. The new law, a provision of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, requires U.S. citizens to present proof of their … -
Cost-Sharing and Premiums in Medicaid: What Rules Apply?
February 28, 2007
A substantial body of research shows that higher co-payments are likely to cause low-income people to decrease their use of necessary health care services. Low-income people with chronic health conditions are the most vulnerable to harm from cost-sharing, as they use the most health care services. Research also shows that premiums can make it … -
The Administration Again Proposes to Shift Federal Medicaid Costs to States
February 14, 2007
In its new budget, the Administration proposes cuts in federal Medicaid funding that total $24.7 billion over the next five years and $60.9 billion over ten years through a combination of legislative changes and regulatory action. [1] These reductions are more than five times as large over the next five years as the federal Medicaid cuts enacted by the Congress last year … -
Press Release: New Medicaid Documentation Requirement Hurting Enrollment and Raising States’ Costs, Study Finds
February 2, 2007
A recent federal requirement that U.S. citizens document their citizenship status when they apply for or renew their Medicaid coverage is reducing Medicaid enrollment, particularly among low-income children, and raising state administrative costs, according to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. … -
There Is No General “Entitlement Crisis”
January 29, 2007
As is well known, the United States will face grave budget challenges in coming decades. In a new set of federal budget projections through 2050, we find that if current policies remain unchanged, federal expenditures will increase substantially as a share of the economy and revenues will fall short of covering expenditures by increasing amounts, leading to exploding … -
Chartbook: Improving Children's Health - The Roles of Medicaid and SCHIP
January 1, 2007
This chartbook summarizes current knowledge about the health insurance coverage and health needs of low-income* children in the United States and the roles that Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) — the joint federal-state, publicly funded health insurance programs for children — play in improving children’s health care access … -
Administration Policy Change Threatens Health Care Coverage for Poor Infants
Revised December 11, 2006
Since 1984, federal Medicaid law has required that states provide one year of automatic Medicaid eligibility to babies whose mothers are sufficiently poor that the baby’s birth was covered by Medicaid.[2] For the past 22 years, these babies have been able to get check-ups and other health care services that can be … -
Medicaid Commission Recommendations Raise Serious Concerns
November 16, 2006
On November 8, the Medicaid commission created by the Administration last year released a “chairman’s mark” setting forth broad recommendations designed to “promote Medicaid’s long-term fiscal sustainability, while also emphasizing quality of care.” The commission will consider these recommendations at its final meeting on November 16 and 17. In … -
Medicaid Costs Are Growing More Slowly Than Costs for Medicare or Private Insurance
November 13, 2006
Are Medicaid expenditures growing “out of control”? This paper reports new data showing that Medicaid expenditures did not grow at all in fiscal year 2006 and are expected to grow only modestly in 2007. There are good reasons to be concerned about projected increases in Medicaid expenditures over the long term, since health … -
Coverage of Parents Helps Children, Too
October 20, 2006
The nation has made an important commitment to reducing the number of uninsured children. Over the past decade, the creation of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and related changes made by states in their Medicaid programs have boosted children’s enrollment and led to a marked reduction in the … -
Is Medicaid Responsible for the Erosion of Employer-Based Health Coverage?
September 22, 2006
The Census Bureau recently reported that employer-sponsored health insurance coverage in the United States has continued to erode. Between 2000 and 2005, the percentage of Americans with job-based insurance slipped from 63.6 percent to 59.5 percent. Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, has blamed … -
The Illusion of Choice: Vulnerable Medicaid Beneficiaries Being Placed In Scaled-Back “Benchmark” Benefit Packages
September 14, 2006
The Deficit Reduction Act, signed into law in February 2006, permits states to vary the benefit packages they offer to some groups of Medicaid beneficiaries.[1] States can require most children and parents to enroll in new “benchmark” benefit packages that do not provide all the benefits covered by regular Medicaid. … -
Documenting Citizenship and Identity Using Data Matches
September 1, 2006
Under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), U.S. citizens must document their citizenship and identity when applying for Medicaid or renewing their coverage. The new requirement, which took effect on July 1, could jeopardize the health coverage of substantial numbers of eligible citizens who are unable to secure the required … -
Budget Process Bill Would Result In Deep Cuts In Medicare and Medicaid
Revised August 9, 2006
The Senate Budget Committee has approved a bill (S. 3521) that would radically alter federal budget procedures and could lead to deep cuts over time in the vast majority of domestic programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and SCHIP. While the odds are slim that the legislation will be considered by the full Senate this year, the … -
Administration Medicaid Rule Would Put Pressure On States To Reduce Benefits Or Eligibility Or To Lower Payments To Providers Reduce Health Care Spending
June 13, 2006
Medicaid, which provides health and long-term care insurance to more than 50 million low-income Americans, is paid for jointly by the federal government and the states. States have the option of raising some of their share of Medicaid expenditures by using revenue from taxes on hospitals, nursing homes, managed care organizations, … -
West Virginia’s Medicaid Changes Unlikely To Reduce State Costs Or Improve Beneficiaries’ Health
May 31, 2006
The federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), signed into law in February 2006, gives states new options to scale back health-care benefits for children and parents enrolled in Medicaid.[1] On May 3, 2006, West Virginia received federal approval to provide a scaled-back basic benefit package for most children and parents in its … -
The Slowdown In Medicaid Expenditure Growth
March 16, 2006
It is sometimes claimed that Medicaid expenditures are “out of control.” A careful analysis of recent data and projections indicates, however, that Medicaid growth has slowed considerably in the last year or so, even before the enactment of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Both the Administration and the Congressional … -
Survey Indicates Deficit Reduction Act Jeopardizes Medicaid Coverage For 3 To 5 Million U.S. Citizens
Revised February 17, 2006
The Deficit Reduction Act signed by the President on February 8th contains a new mandate requiring U.S. citizens covered by Medicaid to prove their citizenship by submitting a birth certificate or passport (or a limited set of similar documents) or else lose their Medicaid coverage. Beginning July 1, 2006, this provision will apply … -
Press Release: Administration’s Health Savings Accounts Proposals Would Cause Net Increase In Number Of Uninsured
February 15, 2006
A new analysis by one of the nation’s leading health economists finds that the Administration’s proposals to expand tax breaks for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) would cause a net increase in the number of uninsured Americans. The analysis, conducted by Jonathan Gruber of M.I.T., projects that while 3.8 million previously uninsured people would gain health coverage through HSAs as a result of the President’s proposals, 4.4 million people would … -
The Administration’s Medicaid Proposals Would Shift Federal Costs To States
February 14, 2006
In its new budget, the Administration proposes net federal Medicaid funding cuts equal to $14 billion over the next five years and $35.5 billion over ten years through a combination of legislative changes and regulatory action. [1] These reductions follow on the heels of significant federal Medicaid cuts ($4.9 billion over five … -
New Congressional Budget Office Estimates Indicate Millions of Low-Income Beneficiaries Would Be Harmed by Medicaid Provisions in Budget Bill
January 29, 2006
On January 27, the Congressional Budget Office issued a new analysis of the Medicaid provisions of the budget reconciliation conference agreement,[1] on which the House of Representatives is expected to vote February 1. The conference agreement, which the Senate passed 51-50 in late December with Vice President Cheney breaking the … -
New Survey Finds 3 To 5 Million Citizens’ Medicaid Coverage Jeopardized By Budget Reconciliation Bill
January 26, 2006
On February 1, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the budget reconciliation agreement, which contains a little-noticed mandate requiring U.S. citizens covered by Medicaid to prove their citizenship by submitting a birth certificate or passport or lose their Medicaid coverage. … -
Press Release: South Carolina’s Revised Medicaid Plan Unlikely To Cut State’s Costs
January 11, 2006
New details contained in South Carolina’s revised proposal to replace its Medicaid program with a system of state-funded personal health accounts show the plan is unlikely to save the state money even as it deprives many beneficiaries of needed health care services, according to a new analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. … -
Still Risky Business: South Carolina’s Revised Medicaid Waiver Proposal
January 11, 2006
On November 16, 2005, South Carolina requested federal permission to make radical changes in its Medicaid program. The request, which took the form of a proposed waiver of federal Medicaid rules, would affect more than 700,000 low-income South Carolina children, parents, and people with disabilities.[1] The November proposal revises … -
Assessing the Effects of the Budget Conference Agreement on Low-Income Families and Individuals
Revised January 9, 2006
Some Congressional leaders are claiming that the low-income provisions in the conference agreement on the budget reconciliation bill are modest and will not harm vulnerable families. Many of the legislation’s key provisions were altered behind closed doors in weekend negotiations, and the legislation was not released until after 1:00 the morning of December 19, just hours before … -
State Budgets Would Be Squeezed Under Budget Conference Agreement
Revised January 6, 2006
The budget reconciliation conference agreement which passed the Senate would have a significant impact on state budgets. The agreement includes numerous changes to low-income programs in which states share costs with the federal government, such as Medicaid, Child Support Enforcement, and TANF. On the whole, CBO estimates indicate that over the next five years, the loss to states from reductions in … -
New Requirement for Birth Certificates or Passports Could Threaten Medicaid Coverage for Vulnerable Beneficiaries
January 5, 2006
The Deficit Reduction Act, which was signed by the President on February 8th, contains a provision that would require all citizens applying for Medicaid or renewing their coverage to produce a passport or birth certificate to prove they are U.S. citizens. There would be no exceptions for any Medicaid applicants or beneficiaries, not even individuals … -
Press Release: New Documentation Rule Threatens Medicaid Coverage For Many
January 5, 2006
A bill nearing final passage in Congress that would cut programs such as Medicaid, student loans, and child support enforcement contains a little-noticed provision that would require all citizens applying for Medicaid to produce a passport or a birth certificate to prove they are U.S. citizens. The … -
The Fallacy of Using Cash and Counseling to Support Proposals to Convert Medicaid to Vouchers or Health Savings Accounts
December 21, 2005
Executive Summary Several states, including South Carolina and Florida, have proposed radically changing Medicaid from a program that reimburses health care providers for the services they provide into a program that gives beneficiaries a fixed amount of money to purchase health coverage or health care services directly.[1] … -
Medicaid Provisions of House Reconciliation Bill both Harmful and Unnecessary: Senate Bill Achieves Larger Savings without Reducing Access to Care
Revised December 9, 2005
Executive Summary The House and the Senate are attempting to work out a conference agreement on a budget reconciliation bill that reduces funding for a range of programs, including Medicaid. The House and Senate bills differ dramatically in their approach to Medicaid. The House bill would significantly increase the co-payments and premiums imposed on … -
Health Opportunity Accounts For Low-Income Medicaid Beneficiaries: A Risky Approach
Revised November 1, 2005
On October 27, the House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up reconciliation legislation that includes about $10 billion in cuts to the Medicaid program.[1] In addition to other Medicaid proposals that would adversely affect low-income beneficiaries by increasing cost sharing and reducing benefits, the package approved by … -
Energy and Commerce Committee Bill Imposes New Costs on Low-Income Medicaid Beneficiaries
Revised October 28, 2005
This week the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Finance Committee voted on reconciliation legislation to reduce projected expenditures for programs under their jurisdiction. This legislation meets the requirements of this year’s budget resolution to achieve reductions in entitlement programs, including … -
In a Time of Growing Need: State Choices Influence Health Coverage Access for Children and Families -- A 50 State Update on Eligibility Rules, Enrollment and Renewal Procedures, and Cost-Sharing Practices in Medicaid and SCHIP for Children and Families
October 18, 2005
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An Analysis of the National Governors Association’s Proposals for “Short-Run Medicaid Reform”
Revised October 14, 2005
Executive Summary On August 29, the National Governors Association released “Medicaid Reform: A Preliminary Report,” a set of recommendations for Congress as it develops budget legislation this fall to reduce projected federal Medicaid expenditures. These NGA proposals are intended to build on longer-term Medicaid … -
Critical Choices: Will Congress Secure Health Care Savings by Targeting “Weak Claims” or “Weak Clients”?
Revised October 12, 2005
The House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Finance Committee are beginning to craft “reconciliation” legislation to reduce projected expenditures for programs under their jurisdiction. This year’s budget resolution requires $10 billion in reductions in programs under these committees’ … -
Many Katrina Survivors Seeking Medicaid in Louisiana Shelters Remain Without Coverage: Medicaid Categorical Eligibility Rules Continue to be the Major Barrier
Revised October 12, 2005
While legislation introduced by Senators Charles Grassley and Max Baucus (S.1716) to provide temporary, fully federally funded Medicaid coverage to low-income hurricane survivors remains blocked in the Senate, indigent individuals seeking health care coverage at more than 200 shelters throughout Louisiana continue being denied … -
Failing to Deliver: Administration’s Medicaid Waiver Policy Excludes Many Katrina Survivors and Provides No Guarantee of Full Federal Financing
Revised September 29, 2005
The Administration has come out against bipartisan Senate legislation (S. 1716) introduced by Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Max Baucus (D-MT) that would provide temporary, fully federally funded Medicaid coverage to low-income survivors of Hurricane Katrina. [1] Despite the endorsement of the National Governors … -
Medicaid Categorical Eligibility Rules are Proving a Major Obstacle to Getting Health Coverage to Impoverished Katrina Victims in Louisiana: Pending Legislation Would Address Coverage Gaps in Louisiana and Other States
Revised September 26, 2005
New information from Louisiana demonstrates that substantial gaps in health care coverage are emerging among impoverished Hurricane Katrina survivors in that state. The information, gathered by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and presented below, shows that as a result of restrictions in federal … -
Medicaid and SCHIP Retention in Challenging Times: Strategies from Managed Care Organizations
Revised September 13, 2005
Efforts to reduce the number of low-income uninsured children and families have focused on expanding eligibility for public insurance programs and finding ways to facilitate enrollment in these programs. Another key factor that contributes to reducing the number of uninsured is the retention of eligible beneficiaries once they … -
Public Benefits: Easing Poverty and Ensuring Medical Coverage
Revised August 17, 2005
When individuals and families experience crises such as job loss, illness, disability, or divorce, they may face the prospect of falling into poverty (or becoming poorer) and losing health insurance coverage. Various government assistance programs are designed to lessen these hardships. These programs also provide support when families work but have low earnings and when … -
Supplemental Security Income: Supporting People With Disabilities And The Elderly Poor
Revised August 17, 2005
Signed into law by President Nixon in 1972, the Supplemental Security Income program replaced a patchwork of state programs for the aged, blind, and disabled.[1] A study conducted by the federal government of the implementation of SSI found that “the quality of life of the aged and disabled who are poor has improved greatly … -
Risky Business: South Carolina's Medicaid Waiver Proposal
Revised August 10, 2005
On June 7, 2005, South Carolina requested federal permission to undertake what would constitute the most radical changes ever made in a state Medicaid program. The request, which took the form of a proposed waiver of federal Medicaid rules, would affect more than 700,000 low-income South Carolina children, parents, seniors, and people … -
Selected Research Findings on Accomplishments of the Safety Net
July 27, 2005
Summarized below are some of the most important research findings on the accomplishments of government programs that assist low-income families and individuals. For more information, see the series of Center reports entitled What Have Low-Income Programs Accomplished? * Public Benefit System Sometimes called the “safety … -
Press Release: What Does the Safety Net Accomplish?
July 19, 2005
Public benefit programs cut the number of poor Americans nearly in half (from 58 million to 31 million) and dramatically reduce the severity of poverty for those who remain poor, while providing health coverage to tens of millions of people who otherwise would be uninsured, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy … -
New Research Sheds Light On Risks from Increasing Medicaid Cost-Sharing and Reducing Medicaid Benefits
Revised July 18, 2005
Congress and the newly appointed HHS Medicaid Commission are considering changes to reduce federal Medicaid expenditures. Recent recommendations from the National Governors Association would eliminate most federal standards with regard to the amounts that low-income Medicaid beneficiaries may be charged for health care … -
Medicaid Commission Named By Secretary Leavitt Lacks Balance
Revised July 11, 2005
On Friday, July 8, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt named the members of his new Medicaid Commission, which is designed both to make recommendations by September 2005 on how to cut $10 billion from Medicaid funding and to make longer-term recommendations regarding Medicaid by December 2006. The …
