The Medicaid program serves as the main public health insurance program in the United States. Covering over 55 million people, the Medicaid program finances acute and long-term care for children, individuals with disabilities and low-income individuals. Serving as the nation’s public health insurance program, the Medicaid program spends 1 of every 6 dollars on personal healthcare and more than 40 percent on long term care.
With the financing split between federal and state governments, the Medicaid program has been able to improve access to healthcare for low-income individuals, children and individuals with disabilities. Reports have shown that Medicaid spending now accounts for more than 21 percent of total state budgets. From 2000 to 2004, increases in enrollment have resulted in an increase in fiscal spending for the Medicaid program, which is attributed to a shift from private to public spending due to a decrease in employer-sponsored insurance coverage.
Over the next decade, the spending growth for the Medicaid program is expected to be 7.7 percent a year. With such significant increases in enrollment and fiscal spending, it is essential that state policymakers address the multiple issues facing the Medicaid program through waiver programs or other cost-effective measures. Furthermore, state policymakers will need to address appropriate measures within the Medicaid program that could expand healthcare services to the uninsured population in their respective states to effectively improve the health status of their citizens.
Source: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.
Recent Events
November 2011
At the Second Annual Healthcare Summit, Women In Government featured a segment on reducing costs and improving quality care in high-risk populations from the President of Blue Thorn Inc., Dr. Terry McInnis. Dr. McInnis spoke about how states are looking for solutions that make sense in reducing the costs to their Medicaid budgets while also providing quality care for high-risk populations. She presented data from Medicaid populations that have reduced costs and improved quality in high risk populations. To learn more, please view her presentation here.
October 2011
Legislators at the Healthcare Reform Task Force learned more about Medicaid reform and effective strategies for lowering costs and improving outcomes related to chronic disease prevention and management from Candace DeMatteis who serves as the Policy Director for the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD). As the Policy Director, Ms. DeMatteis is responsible for monitoring health policy developments relating to chronic disease prevention and management, including many aspects of health reform implementation and continuing reform efforts within Medicare and Medicaid. Most recently, she led efforts to develop a white paper examining near-term opportunities to improve health and lower costs within Medicaid, entitled “Medicaid in a New Era: Proven Solutions to Enhance Quality and Reduce Costs.” To read an article from The New Yorker that Ms. DeMatteis reccomended, please click here, and to learn more about her presentation, please click here.
Women In Government hosted a session at the Healthcare Reform Task Force that focused on helping legislators gain a better understanding of the definition of the newly eligible Medicaid population under the PPACA, and the practical challenges in identifying them, enrolling them, and dealing with the potential for those who may be eligible for Medicaid at inconsistent times as their income or other circumstances fluctuate. Sara Collins, PhD, the Vice President for Affordable Health Insurance at the Commonwealth Fund, spoke about her work. An economist, Dr. Collins joined the Fund in 2002 and has led the Fund’s national program on health insurance since 2005. Since joining the Fund, Dr. Collins has led several national surveys on health insurance and authored numerous reports, issue briefs, and journal articles on health insurance coverage and policy. To view her presentation, please click here.
Legislators gained a better understanding of managed care programs and learned about examples and best practices from the Kaiser Commission’s 50-state survey of managed care programs, as well as proposed models for coordinating care of those eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid from MaryBeth Musumeci, JD. Ms. Musumeci is a Senior Health Policy Analyst at the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, which provides information and analysis on healthcare coverage and access for the low-income population. Ms. Musumeci’s work concentrates on Medicaid for people with disabilities, including issues related to dual-eligibles and long-term services and supports. To view her presentation, please click here.
At the 12th Annual Southern Regional Conference, Women In Government featured a segment on reducing costs and improving quality care in high-risk populations from the President of Blue Thorn Inc., Dr. Terry McInnis. Dr. McInnis spoke about how states are looking for solutions that make sense in reducing the costs to their Medicaid budgets while also providing quality care for high-risk populations. She presented data from Medicaid populations that have reduced costs and improved quality in high risk populations. To learn more, please view her presentation here.
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