Medicaid Policy Associated With Increased Enrollment During the Pandemic

For the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency, state Medicaid programs elected to maintain eligibility for Medicaid recipients in exchange for increased federal funding. In this podcast, Dr Laura Dague of the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University discusses her JAMA Health Forum article finding that this policy was associated with the higher Medicaid enrollment seen during the pandemic. JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin discuss the policy implications of this work with Dr Dague and other recent articles touching on Medicaid enrollment. Related Content: Trends in Medicaid Enrollment and Disenrollment Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic in Wisconsin Medicaid Disenrollment After the COVID-19 Pandemic Medicaid Coverage Disruptions Among Children Enrolled in North Carolina Medicaid, 2016-2018 Association of Medicaid Expansion in Arkansas With Postpartum Coverage, Outpatient Care, and Racial Disparities