States and Medicaid Expansion

Posted on June 5, 2015 by admin

• In wake of federal reform, Minnesota’s Medicaid enrollment surges to 1 million, By Glenn Howatt, May 31, 2015, Minneapolis Star Tribune: “Minnesota’s Medicaid rolls have soared past the 1 million mark for the first time, driven by two years of explosive growth in government insurance programs in the wake of federal health reform.  The enrollment surge — one of the largest in the country and the biggest for the state in 35 years — helped push Minnesota’s uninsured rate down to about 5 percent and has enabled more low-income families to receive regular medical care, doctors say. But it also means that Medicaid and its sister program, MinnesotaCare for the working poor, now rank among the state’s largest health insurers, which could place long-run strains on the state budget. Fully one in five Minnesotans now receive health insurance from public programs, up from one in 10 just five years ago…”
• Louisiana Legislature OKs potential Medicaid expansion, By Marsha Shuler, June 2, 2015, Baton Rouge Advocate: “The Louisiana Senate gave final approval Monday to a measure that would allow the next governor to expand Medicaid. The Senate voted 31-8 for a House-passed resolution establishing a funding source to cover the state’s contribution for the government health insurance expansion…”