Medicaid Enrollment Trends in the COVID Quarters

With the impact of Medicaid Expansion coupled with a lackluster economy, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) membership grew rapidly from 2014 until peaking at 75 million members in January 2017.  Medicaid and CHIP membership began to retreat in 2017 due to improving economic conditions, dropping to 71 million by the end of 2019.  The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the economy in 2020, swiftly reversing the enrollment declines experienced between 2017 and 2019.  After three quarters of the COVID impact, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Monthly Medicaid & CHIP Application, Eligibility Determination, and Enrollment Reports & Data reported over 77 million Medicaid and CHIP members in their preliminary September 2020 enrollment data.  This report provides a brief overview of the enrollment trends during the first three quarters of 2020; a period of time significantly impacted by the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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