CMS: 1.46M Deemed Eligible for Medicaid, CHIP in October

In October, state agencies deemed roughly 1.46 million people eligible for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, according to a CMS report.

That includes people who are newly eligible in states that have opted to expand Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and those who are eligible under prior law. States that have decided to expand Medicaid saw a 15.5 percent increase in their average monthly applications received for Medicaid and CHIP in October, while the 25 states not expanding Medicaid saw a 4.1 percent increase, according to the report.

States that aren't expanding Medicaid but have taken action to simplify and modify their programs under the reform law have seen an increase in applications from already eligible but currently uninsured residents, according to the report. For instance, South Carolina and Virginia have seen increases because of awareness about coverage opportunities and increased use of their online applications and other new ways of applying for coverage.

The report is the first in a series that will feature monthly data CMS collects from state Medicaid and CHIP agencies.

More Articles on Medicaid:
Wisconsin Budget Committee Approves Medicaid Reform Delay
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead Rejects Medicaid Expansion
South Carolina Officials Forecast 16% Medicaid Enrollment Increase by 2015