Medicaid enrollment higher due to glitch

MONTPELIER — The Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Office has estimated as many as one-third of the state’s Medicaid enrollees are ineligible for the program, but the Shumlin administration says that number is significantly higher than what they are finding as they review cases one-by-one.

The state is grappling with higher-than-expected enrollment in its Medicaid program, which is funded by state and federal dollars. A consensus estimate in 2014 projected 46,738 adults would be enrolled in Medicaid during the 2015 state fiscal year and another 42,785 would be eligible for qualified health plans with subsidies on the state’s health care exchange. But the actual number of Medicaid enrollees came in higher, however, at 72,534. Meanwhile, just 16,906 people enrolled in qualified health plans.

In the 2016 fiscal year, the state estimated about 64,951 people would be enrolled in Medicaid and another 18,368 would qualify for subsidies on the exchange. The actual number enrolled in Medicaid through February, however, has been much higher — about 84,000, according to an issue brief authored by Joyce Manchester, analyst with the Joint Fiscal Office. Just 13,242 enrolled in qualified health plans with subsidies on the exchange.

The reason for the higher enrollment could be due to the many Vermonters

Article source: https://health.einnews.com/article/329220576/hXloLkqRBqGfFAWZ?ref=rss&ecode=uiQ1mLaH2KVPSS4e