Dual Eligibles

Medicaid currently fills in the gaps in Medicare’s benefit package for 8.8 million enrollees with limited income and resources (dual eligibles). Shifting aspects of this financing to the Federal government could save states money and create opportunities for better care management and coordination. Data tables show how much each state could save if certain financing roles were shifted.

The Medicaid Buy-In (MBI), Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs all provide workers with disabilities options to maintain health coverage if they earn too much for Medicaid or Medicare benefits. The first issue brief explains how these programs compare and interact in terms of eligibility, coverage, populations, and enrollment. The second examines how MBI participants that collect SSDI utilize SSDI work incentives.

Use this presentation to learn how VT has measured the effectiveness of the Working People with Disabilities program. The primary cost measured was money spent on Medicaid claims and benefits counseling. This was compared with the earnings increases experienced by individuals in the program. The analysis found that every $1 spent on new Medicaid claims and benefits counseling, participant earnings increased by $1.23.

Arkansas was one of 10 states awarded funds from the CMS to improve home and community based services. The project has many goals including developing and implementing a statewide one stop system for long term care services and options. The website lists their other objectives, their strategic plan, and also has the premiere edition of their newsletter. Review the information about this collaborative effort between consumers, stakeholders, and state policy makers.

Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this toolkit features key facts, a brief background section, story ideas, lists of selected experts, websites, and a glossary. Designed for reporters, the resources will be useful for congressional staff, researchers, health policy students and many others. This toolkit explains who Medicaid covers, how it is financed, how it differs from Medicare, how states can alter Medicaid through federal waivers, and what the future holds for the program.

According to a report by the Kaiser Foundation, Medicaid has become the major payer for long-term services and supports to low-income individuals, and a safety-net for those who become impoverished as a result of long-term care needs. In addition to concerns about the high costs of long-term care, recent developments have drawn attention to challenges facing Medicaid as a provider of long-term care. This paper describes these challenges and other issues facing the Medicaid program going forward.

Need an overview of the basic components of the nation’s largest health coverage program? Medicaid covers 55 million low-income individuals and is the dominant source of long-term care financing. Examine the structure of the program, who it covers, what services it provides, and spending. Because Medicaid is jointly financed by the federal and state governments programs vary across states. Tables examining the state-to-state variation in eligibility, enrollment, and spending are included.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities just released an in-depth analysis of the National Governors Association's short-term Medicaid reforms. In August 2005, the NGA released “Medicaid Reform: A Preliminary Report,” a set of recommendations for Congress as it develops budget legislation to reduce projected federal Medicaid expenditures. This informative brief explores the recommendations and their implications for Medicaid.