Who does Medicaid spend the most on?

Asked by: Jazmyn Effertz  |  Last update: September 10, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (36 votes)

51 percent of Medicaid's funds were spent on seniors and people with disabilities in 2021, the most recent year for which data are available.

Who uses Medicaid the most?

In 2020, Medicaid and CHIP provided coverage for nearly 55 million people of color. These programs provide essential coverage for a population that is more diverse than the broader U.S. population—especially among children, with 61 percent of Medicaid and CHIP enrollees under age 19 being children of color.

Which group accounts for most Medicaid spending?

Overall, children account for 37% of full-benefit enrollment, but 15% of the spending, while seniors and individuals with disabilities account for 21% of enrollment but 52% of the spending (data not shown.)

What is Medicaid the largest source of funding for?

Medicaid is the largest program providing medical and health-related services to low-income people. Medicaid was originally available only to people receiving cash assistance, but over time, Congress has expanded eligibility for children and selected adult groups.

Who is Medicaid target audience?

Medicaid is the nation's public health insurance program for people with low income. The Medicaid program covers more than 1 in 5 Americans, including many with complex and costly needs for care. The program is the principal source of long-term care coverage for people in the United States.

Medicaid, explained: why it's worse to be sick in some states than others

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Who is Medicaid aimed at?

To participate in Medicaid, federal law requires states to cover certain groups of individuals. Low-income families, qualified pregnant women and children, and individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are examples of mandatory eligibility groups.

Who is most likely to be on Medicaid?

A larger share of Medicaid and CHIP enrollees are Hispanic and non- Hispanic Black than the U.S. population, and a smaller share are non-Hispanic White. Sources: 2020 T-MSIS Analytic Files Annual Demographic and Eligibility File, Release 1; 2020 Race/Ethnicity Imputation Companion File; 2019 American Community Survey.

What does Medicaid spend the most money on?

51 percent of Medicaid's funds were spent on seniors and people with disabilities in 2021, the most recent year for which data are available.

What state is the hardest to get Medicaid in?

The worst, in order from 50th to 41st, are in Mississippi, Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Indiana, South Carolina, Colorado, Alabama, and Missouri.

Who benefited from Medicaid?

Medicaid has evolved from a program primarily covering parents and dependent children receiving cash assistance with incomes well below the Federal Poverty Level to a program that extends eligibility to nearly every child and non-elderly adult in 40 states and the District of Columbia with incomes up to 138 percent or ...

Who spends the most money on healthcare?

Health Expenditure in the U.S.

The United States is the highest spending country worldwide when it comes to health care. In 2022, total health expenditure in the U.S. exceeded four trillion dollars. Expenditure as a percentage of GDP is projected to increase to approximately 20 percent by the year 2031.

What group of people does Medicaid pay for?

In all states, Medicaid gives health coverage to some individuals and families, including children, parents, people who are pregnant, elderly people with certain incomes, and people with disabilities. Some states have expanded their Medicaid programs to cover other adults below a certain income level.

How much does Medicaid cost per month?

Amounts. Most states adjust premium amounts by beneficiary income, with approved possible charges ranging from approximately $5 to $74 per month. Four states (AR, AZ, MI, and MT) have approved waivers to require monthly premium payments as a percentage of income.

Do most doctors accept Medicaid?

This gap was much larger in some states than others. For example, in New Jersey, Florida, Louisiana, and California, physicians were more than 30 percentage-points less likely to accept new patients with Medicaid coverage than those with private insurance.

What percent of blacks are on Medicaid?

The five other racial and ethnic groups made up the majority of the adults covered by Medicaid, and they included Black, non-Hispanic (21.4 percent); Hispanic (24.1 percent); Asian, non-Hispanic (5.6 percent); AIAN, non-Hispanic (1.5 percent); and other or multi-racial, non- Hispanic (3.5 percent) adult Medicaid ...

Who is the largest Medicaid provider in the US?

Today, Centene is the largest Medicaid managed care organization in the nation serving 13.1 million members, and a leader in California, Florida, New York, and Texas, four of the largest Medicaid states.

What is the downside of Medicaid?

Disadvantages of Medicaid

One of the primary reasons for this is that Medicaid reimbursements are lower than those of commercial insurers for most procedures and treatments.

What does Medicaid not cover?

Though Medicaid covers a wide range of services, there are limitations on certain types of care, such as infertility treatments, elective abortions, and some types of alternative medicine. For example, the federal government lists family planning as a mandatory service benefit, but states interpret this differently.

Who has the best Medicaid?

As someone navigating the complex world of healthcare, this guide can become an essential tool to help understand the healthcare coverage for those who qualify for Medicaid.
  1. Massachusetts. ...
  2. New York. ...
  3. Vermont. ...
  4. Rhode Island. ...
  5. 5. California. ...
  6. Connecticut. ...
  7. Pennsylvania. ...
  8. Washington.

Who is the largest payer of Medicaid?

Medicaid is the largest single payer of maternity care in the U.S., covering more than 40% of U.S. births and playing a critical role in ensuring healthy moms and babies. Medicaid accounts for 75% of public family planning dollars, every $1 of which saves Medicaid $7.09.

Why is Medicaid so expensive?

The analysis confirms that enrollment, Federal and State Medicaid policy, and the prevalence of AIDS are among the factors significantly related to Medicaid expenditures.

How can I reduce my Medicaid spending?

We chose 5 areas of savings applicable to Medicaid: (1) modification of physician payment models to reduce unnecessary care, (2) development of a medication adherence program for patients dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare support (“dual eligibles”), (3) improvement in unnecessary admissions and readmissions for ...

Why do so many doctors not accept Medicaid?

One reason is that reimbursement rates for Medicaid are lower than for Medicare or commercial insurance. Another (often overlooked) factor, however, is physician's risk of payment denials and the administrative hassle they face trying to get reimbursed by Medicaid.

How often does Medicaid check your bank account?

Medicaid agencies can check your account balances for bank accounts at any financial institution you've used in the past five years. They will check when you submit an application and on an annual basis, but checks can occur at any time.

Who gets denied Medicaid?

The most common reason an applicant is denied Medicaid is income or assets above the eligibility criteria. In most states in 2025, an applicant's monthly income must be less than $2,901/month, and their assets (including money in bank accounts) must be less than $2,000.