Ease Medicaid/SCHIP Eligibility Rules

Abstract

This article explores how expanding Medicaid/State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) eligibility would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.

Abstract

This article explores how expanding Medicaid/State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) eligibility would affect health system performance along nine dimensions. Expansion would substantially reduce consumer financial risk for those newly insured and would increase coverage by 6 to 26 percent. Expanded coverage should improve the health of some groups, as measured by life expectancy. The effect of Medicaid/SCHIP expansion on waste or patient experience is uncertain. Expansion would have no discernible effect on overall health care spending but would increase government spending. Expansion is unlikely to affect the reliability of care or health system capacity. Expanding Medicaid/SCHIP eligibility would be relatively simple because the administrative infrastructure already exists.