Medicaid Enrollment in PA Continues to Rise – But Not as Much as Elsewhere
Medicaid enrollment in Pennsylvania rose 14.7 percent from February 2020 to March 2021.
That’s a lot, but Medicaid enrollment in 36 states examined as part of a recent analysis rose 17.7 percent from February 2020 to March 2021. Leading the way were two Medicaid expansion states, Utah and Nebraska, which saw their Medicaid enrollment increase 37.6 percent and 30.9 percent, respectively.
Other states with major increases in Medicaid enrollment were Missouri (26.5 percent), Illinois (26.3 percent), and Indiana (25.7 percent). The increases appear to have been driven by pandemic-related job losses and the accompanying economic downturn.
Learn more about where and why Medicaid enrollment is rising and where Pennsylvania fits among them from the article “What is Happening With Medicaid Enrollment in Q1 of 2021?” on the web site of the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute.
The enrollment increase can be traced to rising unemployment, with many people losing their employer-sponsored health insurance. The new figures cover five months, from February through June, the latter four of which marked the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.