As Tough Times Wane, States Act to Improve Medicaid Coverage and Quality: Results from a 50-State Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2007 and 2008

The annual 50-state survey of state officials on Medicaid and state budget actions reports enrollment in Medicaid declined. This decline was driven primarily by two factors. States reported new citizenship documentation requirements were causing delays in processing applications, affecting individuals already eligible for the program. State officials also cited good economy and lower unemployment for reducing enrollment. 42 states expect to expand coverage to the uninsured in the next year.