Providing access to care for nearly one in five people in the United States.
Updated October 2026
Medicaid coverage leads to better health outcomes for everyone—saving lives, lowering health care costs, making childbirth safer, reducing medical debt, and helping strengthen state economies.
A lifeline for people at every stage of life, Medicaid provides affordable health coverage for nearly 70 million people with low incomes or disabilities throughout the United States. For more than 60 years, Medicaid has been an important part of America’s societal safety net, a partnership funded by the federal government and states. Medicaid supports people through major life transitions, and for those who qualify, it covers a range of care including childbirth, routine medical services, support for those with disabilities, and nursing home care for older adults.
Medicaid strengthens communities for everyone, even those not covered by the program. It is a bedrock of state and local economies, supporting healthcare jobs and providing vital funding to hospitals, particularly in rural areas.
It's time to renew a strong commitment to the purpose of these critical programs. Now is the time to speak out about the devastating impacts of program cuts on the health of people, healthcare providers, and entire communities.
Closing the Medicaid coverage gap is the single biggest action the country can take to reduce the number of uninsured.
The refusal of some states to expand their Medicaid programs means that political considerations are being prioritized over healthcare, even in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic where health insurance can be the difference between life and death.
Story Spotlight
That's Medicaid shares stories of people helped by Medicaid at critical points in their lives.
Updated July 2026
"An estimated 5 million to 10 million adults nationwide—including as many as 300,000 in New Jersey—will lose their Medicaid coverage because of [the One Big Beautiful Bill Act], and most will become uninsured. Many will lose coverage not because they are ineligible but because they are unable to navigate the red tape and administrative hurdles that are part of the process."
—Katherine Hempstead, RWJF Senior Policy Adviser
