Dive Brief:
- Nationwide, states had enrolled 6.7 million new Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries as of May 31, according to a study released July 28 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
- These additional enrollees represent 52% of the projected 12.8 million new Medicaid/CHIP enrollees by 2016, as estimated by the Urban Institute. The RWJF report updates recent data showing that states had reached 45% of anticipated 2016 enrollment as of April 30.
- The findings, based on data released by CMS, show significant state-to-state variation in enrollment progress. States expanding Medicaid reached 60% of the 2016 projected enrollment level, compared to 26% in non-Medicaid-expansion states. In those states expanding Medicaid, the report found that states operating their own insurance exchanges were more successful at enrolling new Medicaid beneficiaries than states with federally facilitated exchanges.
Dive Insight:
A RWJF official said the latest data show Medicaid and CHIP enrollment continues to climb, describing it as "a sizeable increase" in just a month's time. "As information about the program and eligibility requirements continues to be spread, and backlogs are reduced, we'll see enrollment come even closer to the goal of 12.8 million by 2016," she said.
But states have made it clear in recent weeks that easing Medicaid backlogs, even when CMS demands attention to it, isn't an easy task and will take time.
Want to read more? You might enjoy this story about the recent CMS demand for fixes in Medicaid backlogs.