State Medicaid directors report that the recession continues to have a serious impact on their Medicaid programs by increasing caseloads and spending at the same time that state tax revenues remain weak.
A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured examines how state Medicaid agencies are preparing for implementing the new health reform law. The report is based on discussions with leading state Medicaid directors in May 2010 and highlights information that will be included in the Foundation’s upcoming annual 50-state Medicaid budget survey this fall.
Medicaid directors cite concerns about limited resources and administrative capacity amid major budget constraints as they move forward to implement health reform. Directors say they must begin planning now for the expansion of Medicaid and the creation of new state-based health insurance exchanges in 2014, both of which will require significant IT investments and eligibility system upgrades.
Download the entire report from the Kaiser website.