Medicaid/CHIP enrollment climb 13.9% during pandemic

Over 80 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program at the end of January, a 13.9% increase since February 2020, according to a report released yesterday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act gave states that maintain Medicaid coverage during the public health emergency a temporary 6.2% increase in their Federal Medical Assistance Percentage.

'The increase we are seeing is exactly how Medicaid works: the program steps in to support people and their families when times are tough,' said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. 'For the parents that may have lost a job or had another life change during the pandemic, having access to coverage for themselves and their kids is life-changing.'