Utah, Texas kick off highest percentage of Medicaid enrollees
2024-04-17
Nationwide, more than 20 million people dropped from low-income program, as survey finds that Americans without health insurance increase
Utah and Texas dropped about 32 percent of its residents on Medicaid in the past year, causing a rise in those without health insurance, according to a new report by research firm KFF.
Nationwide, more than 20 million people have been kicked off Medicaid, which provides health insurance for lower-income residents. At least half of those in most states were able to regain their Medicaid membership by successfully renewing.
Still, the net decline from last year in total Medicaid enrollment was more than 12 million nationally.
In terms of sheer numbers, Texas led the process, which some call "unwinding," with about 2.1 million disenrollments between May 2023 and January 2024. Since some people rejoined Medicaid, the program's net decline in the Lone Star state stood at 1.9 million with 4.1 million total enrollees in early 2024.
The only state to gain in enrollments was Hawaii, which added about 4,000 people in the past year. The Aloha state paused disenrollments following wildfires last August.
The program's rules that halted disenrollments during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic ended in March 2023. Numerous states have thrown people off the rolls at a furious pace since then.
Nearly a quarter of adults who were disenrolled from Medicaid in the process continued to be uninsured in early 2024, according to KFF. Many signed up for insurance through a private employer or the state or national healthcare exchange, commonly called Obamacare.
Some applaud the disenrollments, others call out officials
Numerous Republicans applauded states for disenrolling people. U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama claimed there were more than $100 billion in "improper" payments by Medicaid and Medicare, a federal program for people older than 64, in fiscal 2023.
"This is unacceptable," Palmer posted on X, formerly Twitter on April 16. "We must install better safeguards to ensure that we are not wasting taxpayer dollars."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blamed federal officials for "policies that would devastate our Medicaid safety net." Some noted that Texas has led the nation for several years in the percentage of people and children without health insurance, as well as those being kicked off Medicaid. One respondent said some friends "had to move to Colorado for their autistic son to get decent treatment.... The GOP has done everything they can to gut healthcare for low income individuals."
Other states ranking just behind Utah and Texas in the percentage of Medicaid disenrollments were Idaho, New Hampshire, Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, West Virginia, and North Dakota.
After Hawaii, Maine had the lowest percentage of its residents kicked off, followed by North Carolina, Oregon, Nevada, Illinois, Maryland, California, New York, and Virginia.
Texas led the nation in the percentage of people without health insurance at 16.6 percent in 2022, the most recent year that figure was available, according to federal figures. Texas was well ahead of second-place Oklahoma, which had 11.7 percent of residents uninsured. Georgia, Wyoming, and Florida rounded out the highest five states.
Massachusetts had the lowest percentage of uninsured residents [2.4 percent], followed by Hawaii [3.5], Vermont, Rhode Island, and Iowa. The U.S. average was 8.0 percent.
Figures on Medicaid, uninsured
The following shows the ten states with the highest net percentage change in residents on Medicaid from 2023 to 2024, as well as the most recent uninsured rate.
State ..... Medicaid enrollment in millions, 2024 ..... Percent change since 2023 ..... Percent state residents without health insurance, 2022
The following shows the one state that gained Medicaid enrollees and nine states with the lowest net percentage change in residents on Medicaid from 2023 to 2024, and most recent uninsured rates.
State ..... Medicaid enrollment in millions, 2024 ..... Percent change since 2023 ..... Percent state residents without health insurance, 2022
Hawaii ..... 0.5 ..... +0.8% ..... 3.5% Maine ..... 0.4 ..... -1.1% ..... 6.6% North Carolina ..... 2.9 ..... -1.2% ..... 9.3% Oregon ..... 1.5 ..... -2.1% ...... 6.0% Nevada ..... 0.9 ..... -4.1% ..... 11.1% Illinois ..... 3.7 ..... -5.8% ..... 6.6% Maryland ..... 1.7 ..... -6.1% ..... 6.1% California ..... 14.9 ..... -6.5% ..... 6.5% New York ..... 7.5 ..... -6.8% ..... 4.9% Virginia ..... 2.0 ..... -7.6% ..... 6.5% Sources: KFF, U.S. Census Bureau
This bar chart shows the percentage of enrollment decline in Medicaid in states between 2023 and early 2024.Photo byKFF news release
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