Outreach Efforts Bump Massachusetts Medicaid Enrollment to 975,000, But Slowing Economy Prompts Concerns of ‘Fiscal Crunch’

Massachusetts officials are expected to announce Nov. 14 that the number of people covered by MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program, has grown to 975,000, a 300,000-person increase "since eligibility and outreach efforts were expanded four years ago," the Boston Herald reports. Included in these new enrollees are 100,000 children. Massachusetts maintains one of the lowest uninsured rates in the country at 5.9%. Despite this "milestone," some health advocates and lawmakers are concerned that the slowing economy could lead to a rise in the number of uninsured and a subsequent "surge" in Medicaid enrollment. Massachusetts, unlike several other states, has not proposed cutting back on its program to reduce costs, but "a mounting fiscal crunch has advocates worried" (Powell, Boston Herald, 11/14). The Boston Globe reported Nov. 13 that Acting Gov. Jane Swift (R) plans to file a budget proposal that would cut $66 million from public health programs if the state Legislature cannot approve a budget by Nov. 16. Medicaid, however, was not mentioned as one of the areas facing a budget reduction (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/13). Still, state Sen. Mark Montigny (D) said that the program "faces an iffy future," and he questioned Swift's threat to veto a 50-cent cigarette tax increase that would fund a Medicaid expansion. "My fear is a lack of commitment to (Medicaid.) It leaves the program vulnerable," he said (Boston Herald, 11/14).