Brief The Implications of Medicaid Expansion in the Remaining States: 2020 Update
Michael Simpson
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Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), states can expand Medicaid eligibility for nonelderly people up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). As of January 2020, 35 states and the District of Columbia had expanded Medicaid, and 15 states had not. Even absent effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, if the 15 remaining states had expanded Medicaid eligibility in 2020, 3.9 million fewer people would have been uninsured, Federal spending on health care would have increased by $30.4 billion, and state spending on Medicaid would have increased by $4.7 billion. This additional state spending would fully or largely be offset by savings in other areas.

Research Areas Health and health care
Tags Health insurance Health equity Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program 
Policy Centers Health Policy Center