More Americans Enrolled in Medicaid Than Ever Before

As reported by The Washington Post, the number of people in the U.S. depending upon the federal and state healthcare insurance coverage program — Medicaid — has reached an all-time high. Data shows that over 80 million individuals are now enrolled in the program for those with limited income and resources. This data comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recent report, made public on Monday.

The inflation of Medicaid enrollment can be traced to the COVID-19 pandemic which left many Americans unemployed and uninsured. However, officials say the growth of the program can also be attributed to the stipulations of the first COVID-19 relief law. Passed by Congress in 2020, the law funneled money to the states for Medicaid costs. Alongside the funds came the expectation that no one would be removed from Medicaid rolls until the COVID-19 public health emergency ended.

In under one year, enrollment surged nationwide with nearly 9.9 million individuals signing up for Medicaid. In fact, more Americans are now enrolled in Medicaid than Medicare, the federal insurance program for those living with disabilities or aged 65 years or older.

Click here to read more from The Washington Post.