Analysis: Medicaid enrollment grows even in states that refused to expand eligibility

May 15 2014

Consultant Avalere Health found enrollment growth even in states that opted not to expand the health insurance program for the poor because of the so-called "woodwork effect."

The Washington Post's Wonkblog: These States Rejected Obamacare's Medicaid Expansion, But Medicaid Is Expanding There Anyway
Even states that refused Obamacare's Medicaid expansion are seeing enrollment growth in the health-care program, according to a new analysis. Medicaid enrollment in 17 of the 26 states that hadn't expanded Medicaid as of the end of March saw their rolls increase by a combined 550,300 new beneficiaries, reports the Avalere Health consulting firm. The Affordable Care Act expands the Medicaid program to adults earning under 138 percent of the federal poverty level, but the 2012 Supreme Court decision on the health-care law said states couldn't be forced to expand their programs. About half the states haven't joined, mainly arguing that Medicaid is a broken, unaffordable system (Millman, 5/13). 

The Associated Press: Medicaid Rolls Grow In States Resisting Health Law
States that thus far have refused a federal offer to expand Medicaid are still seeing significant sign-ups for the safety-net program that serves the poor, according to a report Tuesday that raises political and budget implications. The market analysis firm Avalare Health estimated that at least 550,300 more people signed up for Medicaid through the end of March in 17 out of 26 states that have not yet expanded eligibility for the program under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The actual number could be markedly higher since Avalere did not report data for populous Florida (5/13). 

Another study examined the financial impact of states' decisions on community health centers -

Modern Healthcare:  Medicaid Expansion Crucial To Community Health Centers, Experts Warn
The decision in some states not to expand Medicaid could have dire consequences for community health centers and the patients they serve, experts warn. These safety-net organizations served 20.7 million patients in 8,000 medically underserved communities throughout the U.S. in 2012, according to a new study from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. If the current holdout states continue to refuse to expand Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, those community health centers would lose out on $569 million in increased revenue in 2014 alone, Milken researchers estimated (Dickson, 5/13).

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times examines the impact on California -

Los Angeles Times: Obamacare Brings Expanded Coverage And Higher Costs To California
Enrollment in California's healthcare program for the poor has soared as the state implements President Obama's federal overhaul, pleasing advocates who have sought expanded coverage but also presenting new costs for the state. Nearly one-third of California's total population -- roughly 11.5 million people -- will be enrolled in Medi-Cal next year, according to Gov. Jerry Brown's administration (Megerian, 5/13).