The Implications of Medicaid Expansion in the Remaining States
The Issue
There are 19 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. If these states expanded Medicaid coverage, they would see increases in their insured populations, a reduction in uncompensated care costs, and increased state spending fully or largely offset by savings in other areas.
Key Findings
If the 19 nonexpansion states expanded Medicaid:
- 4.5 million more people would have health coverage in 2019;
- The uninsured rate in those 19 states would drop from 16.9 percent to 12.6 percent;
- Demand for uncompensated care would decrease by $8 billion.
Conclusion
Expansion of Medicaid would increase the number of people who have insurance benefits in these 19 states. The 32 states that have already expanded the program have fewer uninsured residents, lower uncompensated care costs, and experienced net gains in state budgets.
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