Medicaid Expansion

Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, at a White House press conference in May. More people moving off Medicaid, she says, would be a good outcome.

New Rules May Make Getting And Staying On Medicaid More Difficult

5:12pm January 12, 2018

by Jake Harper

Indiana is one of the states poised to get permission to require Medicaid recipients to work. Advocates say work requirements may be good politics but they're bad policy.

Queue Listen Now

Up to one half of rural residents are covered by Medicaid, says Michelle Mills, CEO of Colorado Rural Health Center. And they're typically older, poorer and sicker than city dwellers.

Hospitals In States That Expanded Medicaid Less Likely To Close

5:39pm January 08, 2018

by John Daley

Hundreds of thousands of people gained health insurance in states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. In those states, hospitals were less likely to close.

The CHIP program provides health coverage to 9 million children from lower-income households that make too much money to qualify for Medicaid. The $2.85 billion Congress allocated in December was supposed to fund CHIP programs in all states through March

CHIP Funding Could Run Out On Jan. 19 For Some States

6:37pm January 05, 2018

by Phil Galewitz

A fiscal patch that Congress approved last month isn't big enough to keep the Children's Health Insurance Program afloat, according to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services.

Retroactive eligibility for Medicaid helps provides financial protection for patients as they await approval of their applications for coverage.

Several States Roll Back 'Retroactive Medicaid,' A Buffer For The Poor

11:20am November 14, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Retroactive payments offer protection for poor people who can be enrolled in Medicaid after becoming seriously ill. That process takes time, and the look-back provision helps guarantee coverage.

Protesters rally against Medicaid cuts in front of the U.S. Capitol in June. Medicaid is the nation's largest health insurance program, covering 74 million people — more than 1 in 5 Americans.

Meet Your Friends Who Get Medicaid

5:54pm September 23, 2017

by Phil Galewitz

Those relying on the federal government's safety net are grandmothers, the kid next door, your supermarket cashier — maybe even you.

Charlene Yurgaitis gets health insurance through Medicaid in Pennsylvania. It covers the counseling and medication she and her doctors say she needs to recover from her opioid addiction.

5 Americans Talk About How A Health Law Overhaul Would Affect Them

5:50pm September 23, 2017

by Gisele Grayson

All year, NPR member station reporters around the country have asked people how they would be affected by proposals to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Here are five of those stories.

Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander chairs the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee; Sen. Patty Murray is the committee's ranking Democrat.

5 Controversial Ideas For Shoring Up Health Insurance Markets

4:38pm August 30, 2017

by Julie Rovner

Lawmakers looking to stabilize the health insurance exchanges may consider a number of proposals — including pushing young adults off a parent's plan or letting people buy into Medicare and Medicaid.

Less than half of the 22 million veterans in the U.S. get their health care through the Veterans Affairs system. Many rely on Medicaid, which is slated for reductions under the health plan making its way through the U.S. Senate.

Veterans Helped By Obamacare Worry About Republican Repeal Efforts

5:44pm June 28, 2017

by Stephanie O'Neill

The rate of uninsurance among veterans dropped dramatically after the Affordable Care Act rolled out. Those who rely on Medicaid say they are particularly concerned about losing that care.

Queue Listen Now

The ongoing debate over health care has many people wondering how changes will affect their coverage.

Q&A: What Does The Senate Health Bill Mean For Me?

5:47pm June 27, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

The Senate Republicans' plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act could bring big changes to many Americans' health care coverage. Here are answers to a handful of scenarios from concerned listeners.

Queue Listen Now

Coal and steel jobs were once plentiful in Steubenville, Ohio. Today, the local hospital is the top employer in the county.

After Decline Of Steel And Coal, Ohio Fears Health Care Jobs Are Next

11:33pm June 26, 2017

Health care jobs now outnumber manufacturing jobs in Jefferson County, Ohio. Hospital administrators worry that Republican plans to cut Medicaid will lead to layoffs.

Queue Listen Now