Expanding Coverage to Adults through Medicaid Under Health Reform: Key Issues to Consider for Implementation

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured convened a roundtable discussion on June 23, 2010 with a group of federal and state officials and experts to discuss key issues related to reaching, enrolling and delivering care to adults in Medicaid under health reform. The discussion focused in particular on non-disabled adults without dependent children (often referred to as “childless adults”) who have historically been ineligible for the program. When the new coverage goes into effect in 2014, states will face one of the largest enrollment efforts in the Medicaid program’s history. Roundtable participants agreed that it was important for states to begin preparing and making necessary upgrades to their systems now, and also that federal guidance and support is key for helping them move forward.

Issue Brief (.pdf)