Deborah Bachrach Speaks to Kaiser Health News on Medicaid Enrollment Numbers Under ACA
"About 91,000 Enroll in Medicaid as Result of ACA 'Woodwork' Effect"
Kaiser Health News
November 14, 2013 - Manatt's Deborah Bachrach, a partner in the firm's Healthcare Division, spoke to Kaiser Health News about the number of people applying for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act since open enrollment began last month.
Kaiser Health News reports that in the first month of open enrollment, about 91,000 people in non-expanding states who would've qualified for Medicaid before but had not signed up came to the federal online marketplace and were deemed eligible for the program. In Florida, nearly 13,000 people have visited the federal health exchange, healthcare.gov, and have been determine eligible for Medicaid. In Texas, the figure is about 11,600. Both Texas and Florida have been among the most reluctant states to accept the health law.
"This is good news," said Bachrach, a former Medicaid director in New York. "It shows despite the opposition from Texas Gov. Rick Perry and the Florida legislature and other states that people want coverage, and they are coming in and applying despite the problems with healthcare.gov."