Claim CME

Health Care Economics, Insurance, Payment

Medicaid and COVID-19At the Center of Both Health and Economic Crises

Educational Objective
To understand how COVID-19 is affecting Medicaid

1 Credit CME

JAMA

July 14, 2020

Viewpoint

Article Information and Disclosures

Heidi L. Allen, PhD, MSW¹;

Benjamin D. Sommers, MD, PhD^2,3

Author Affiliations

¹School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, New York
²Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
³Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts

Read article on JAMA Network

Read Article Claim CME

Nearly 3 months into the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, more than 40 million individuals in the US have filed for unemployment. Without jobs and with lower incomes, millions will lose their health insurance, which will lead to a surge of new enrollees in Medicaid. This is particularly true in the 37 states that implemented Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansions, through which most low-income adults other than undocumented or recent immigrants can qualify for coverage. However, in nonexpansion states millions will remain ineligible.

Claim CME

Buy This Activity

Article Information

Corresponding Author: Heidi L. Allen, PhD, MSW, School of Social Work, Columbia University, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, Room 709, New York, NY 10027 (ha2332@columbia.edu).

Published Online: June 11, 2020. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.10553

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Allen reported receiving grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Institutes of Health and receiving personal fees from the Health Resources and Services Administration, Society for Social Work Research, BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute, Redscout, and Milbank Memorial Fund. Dr Sommers reported receiving personal fees from the Health Research & Educational Trust and the Massachusetts Medical Society and receiving grants from Baylor Scott & White.

References

Bachireddy C , Chen C , Dar M . Securing the safety net and protecting public health during a pandemic: Medicaid’s response to COVID-19. JAMA. Published online March 19, 2020. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.4272 PubMed Google Scholar

Gruber J , Sommers BD . Paying for Medicaid—state budgets and the case for expansion in the time of coronavirus. N Engl J Med. Published online March 31, 2020. doi:10.1056/NEJMp2007124 PubMed Google Scholar

State and local government associations urge “robust, flexible” federal relief during pandemic. Published April 21, 2020. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://www.nga.org/news/press-releases/state-and-local-government-associations-urge-robust-flexible-federal-relief-during-pandemic/

Fiedler M , Furman J , Powell W III . Increasing Federal Support for State Medicaid and CHIP Programs in Response to Economic Downturns. Published May 16, 2019. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://www.brookings.edu/research/increasing-federal-support-for-state-medicaid-and-chip-programs-in-response-to-economic-downturns/

Medicaid Emergency Authority Tracker. Approved state actions to address COVID-19. Published May 27, 2020. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/medicaid-emergency-authority-tracker-approved-state-actions-to-address-covid-19/

Galewitz P . States cutting Medicaid benefits as they stagger under economic downturn. Published September 30, 2010. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://khn.org/news/medicaid-cutbacks/

Sommers BD , Goldman AL , Blendon RJ , Orav EJ , Epstein AM . Medicaid work requirements—results from the first year in Arkansas. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(11):1073-1082. doi:10.1056/NEJMsr1901772 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Medicaid and COVID-19At the Center of Both Health and Economic Crises

Medicaid Expansion After the 2018 US Midterm Election

Assessing Health Outcomes Attributable to Medicaid Expansion At 5 Years

Medicaid Work Requirements Shift to New Terrain

After COVID-19—Thinking Differently About Running the Health Care System

The Affordable Care Act at 10 Years

See More

Medicaid and COVID-19At the Center of Both Health and Economic Crises

Medicaid Expansion After the 2018 US Midterm Election

Assessing Health Outcomes Attributable to Medicaid Expansion At 5 Years

Medicaid Work Requirements Shift to New Terrain

After COVID-19—Thinking Differently About Running the Health Care System

The Affordable Care Act at 10 Years

See More

See More About

Want full access to the AMA Ed Hub?

AMA Membership provides:

Sign in to access

Want full access to the AMA Ed Hub?

Sign in to customize your interests

With a personal account, you can:

Name Your Search

Sign in to save your search

With a personal account, you can:

Lookup An Activity

My Saved Searches

My Saved Courses

Sign in to customize your interests

With a personal account, you can:

Purchase access