Health Reform: Kaiser Releases State-By-State Estimates of Costs and Coverage of Medicaid Expansion

New Kaiser Report Includes State-by-State Analysis of Impact of Federal Medicaid Expansion and How State Budgets May Benefit. The new health reform law includes a state requirement accompanied by significant enhanced federal funding to expand Medicaid programs by 2014 to non-traditional enrollees under age 65 up to 133% of the federal poverty level. Increases in state spending is small compared to expanded coverage and federal revenues and relative to what states would have spent without the health reform (ex., states can shift their state-only spending on health care programs for the uninsured and now capture 100% federal match for the first couple of years.) In addition, federal funding is available to states that opt to begin phase-in of the new eligibility expansion beginning April 1, 2010 which can help some states' budgets now. (See CMS April 9th letter to State Medicaid and Health Directors.expand their programs before 2014 <http://www.cms.gov/smdl/downloads/SMD10005.PDF> ) The Kaiser material released May 26th is available at http://www.kff.org/healthreform/8076.cfm.