Most States Updating, Digitizing Medicaid Enrollment Systems
Most states are modernizing their Medicaid enrollment systems as required by the Affordable Care Act, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports (Viebeck, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 1/23).
Background
The ACA requires all state Medicaid programs to shift to Web-based enrollment systems by January 2014 (Galewitz, "Capsules," Kaiser Health News, 1/23). The requirement applies to all states, even those that decide not to proceed with the ACA's Medicaid expansion (Kliff, "Wonkblog," Washington Post, 1/23).
According to "Healthwatch," the requirement aims to ensure that Medicaid information technology systems can exchange data with the online health insurance marketplaces mandated under the ACA ("Healthwatch," The Hill, 1/23).
The Obama administration is covering 90% of the cost for any upgrades to state Medicaid IT systems until the end of 2015, when the federal matching share will drop to 50% ("Wonkblog," Washington Post, 1/23).
Survey Findings
The survey found that:
- 47 states have received or applied for federal funds to upgrade their Medicaid systems;
- 45 states currently interact electronically with the Social Security Administration to verify citizenship;
- 42 states have started developing their Medicaid IT upgrades;
- 37 states offer an online application for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program; and
- 28 states allow beneficiaries to renew their Medicaid or CHIP enrollment online.
Diane Rowland -- executive director of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured -- in a statement said, "Our survey shows that states already are making significant advances to modernize the Medicaid enrollment process in 2014 to lower barriers to coverage and reduce administrative burdens for both families and states" ("Healthwatch," The Hill, 1/23).
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