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Colorado estimates 200,000 newly eligible for Medicaid

April 28, 2010

April 28, 2010:  The Colorado Health Institute (CHI) has released an issue brief detailing the impact of state and federal health reforms on uninsured working-age adults (ages 19-64) in Colorado.  Using the 2008 American Community Survey, CHI estimates that more than 27,000 parents and 119,000 childless adults in Colorado will become eligible for Medicaid.

The Colorado Healthcare Affordability Act of 2009 (HB 09-1293) expands eligibility to parents in families with incomes up to 100% FPL.  The legislation also creates two new adult eligibility categories: childless adults at or below 100% FPL and adults with disabilities whose incomes are at or below 450% FPL who can buy into the Medicaid program.

The recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590) and Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act (HR 4872) also expands eligibility for parents and childless adults up to 133% FPL. After the full implementation of the federal health reform expansions, an additional 24,000 parents and 29,000 childless adults will become eligible.

View the brief here: "Health Insurance Coverage Among Low-Income Adults in Colorado".


SHARE supports the evaluation of state reform initiatives, including those of several states that have expanded their Medicaid programs.  SHARE grantees Dr. Tom Oliver and Donna Friedsam at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute are evaluating Wisconsin's BadgerCare Plus coverage expansion. Preliminary results have shown a 12% enrollment increase for children, with even higher increases among low-income children.  Similarly, enrollment for caretakers in BadgerCare Plus increased 18%. To learn more about BadgerCare in Wisconsin, click here.

 

SHARE grantee Dr. Ronald Deprez has also looked at health coverage expansions in Vermont.  In 2005, Vermont expanded eligibility for Medicaid via the creation of the Catamount Health program.  From 2005 to 2008, Dr. Deprez found that public insurance coverage rose in groups with income below 200% FPL, but did not rise for groups above 200% FPL.  Additionally, for individuals at 175-200% FPL, there was a 40% increase in take-up.  For an issue brief about the Vermont experience, click here. A full report is also available here.