Where states stand on whether to expand.

• Author: Hansen, Melissa
• Position: TRENDS & TRANSITIONS - Medicaid eligibility expansion - Brief article

Projecting how many states will expand Medicaid eligibility beginning next year is like trying to hit a moving target. As of July 5, 22 states appear ready to expand. Another 23 states have announced they will not expand eligibility at this time. Two states are implementing or exploring alternatives, and three remain undecided.

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 originally required states to expand Medicaid by Jan. 1, 2014, to people with family incomes at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. However, the Supreme Court ruled in June 2012 that the federal government could not force states to expand. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...