Performing under pressure: annual findings of a 50-state survey of eligibility, enrollment, renewal, and cost-sharing policies in Medicaid and CHIP, 2011-2012
In 2011, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) continued to be key sources of coverage for children, and, in some cases, for their parents, as the weak economic recovery was slow to add new jobs with access to employer-based insurance. At the same time, state budgets remained stressed due to dampened state revenue growth and the mid-year expiration of the temporary increase in the federal share of Medicaid provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Amid state fiscal challenges, the requirement in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that states maintain their eligibility levels and enrollment and renewal procedures was central in preserving coverage during 2011. In addition, some states made targeted eligibility expansions and many used technology to boost program efficiency and make it easier for families to enroll in coverage. Moreover, new enhanced federal funding spurred many states to launch major Medicaid systems improvements that will help states modernize their programs and prepare for the 2014 ACA coverage expansions. In this eleventh annual report, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured and the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families provide results from a 50-state survey of eligibility, enrollment, renewal, and cost-sharing policies in Medicaid and CHIP. The data identify changes implemented during 2011 and present policies in place for children, pregnant women, parents, and other non-disabled adults as of January 1, 2012.
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