The Kaiser Family Foundation in partnership with the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families recently released the 12th annual surveys at a briefing held in Washington, D.C.
The first report, “Getting into Gear 2014: Findings from a 50- State Survey of Eligibility, Enrollment, Renewal, and Cost-sharing policies in Medicaid and Chip,” observed the trends of states that are moving their focus to extensive upgrades in Medicaid eligibility and enrollment procedures and processes. States are making many changes now to ensure they are ready to implement Affordable Care Act provisions in 2014. Under the ACA, there is a “no wrong door” for coordinated enrollment for Medicaid exchanges and other insurance affordability programs. The goal is to provide an easy and efficient course for individuals who are Medicaid eligible and who in turn and can get real-time determinations and automated renewals with the use of a Federal Data Hub.
The second report released, The Faces of the Medicaid Expansion: How Obtaining Medicaid Coverage Impacts Low Income Adults Report commissioned by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Lake Research Partners studied focus groups in states that have expanded Medicaid, including California, Connecticut, Minnesota, and D.C. Individuals surveyed were previously uninsured, ranging in age, race, and health status. Nearly all were struggling financially and could not afford to visit their primary care physician or fill their prescriptions. Individuals often reported that they skipped medication doses and in most extreme cases, would not seek emergency care when needed. Obtaining Medicaid coverage provided a great amount of sense of relief because now they had access to the primary care physicians and became educated on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
If you are interested in viewing a webinar of this event, read the transcript, or download the podcast you can find it here: http://www.kff.org/Medicaid/2013medicaid50statesurvey.cfm. Visit the Kaiser Family Foundation at www.kff.org/mediciad. For more information, please contact Liz Heintzman at [email protected].