PA To Get $200 Billion in Medicaid Money Over Next Decade

MYTH vs. FACT: Pennsylvania, Medicaid, and BCRA

MYTH: Federal Medicaid spending for Pennsylvania will be dramatically cut under the proposed Better Care Reconciliation Act.

FACT: Under the Better Care Reconciliation Act, federal Medicaid spending continues to grow. In all prospective years, funding will be above 2017 levels. Over the next ten years, the federal government will contribute over $200 billion to Pennsylvania's Medicaid program.

Data sources: CMS estimates on Medicaid benefit spending and enrollment aged, disabled, adults with dependents, and children in Pennsylvania in 2015, CMS Office of the Actuary projections for enrollment growth per eligibility category  (page 61), and the Pennsylvania Governor's office estimates for spending and enrollment of the newly eligible category (pages 528 and 556)

MYTH: The Better Care Reconciliation Act ends Pennsylvania's Medicaid expansion and cuts funding for traditional populations (low-income aged, disabled, adults with dependents, and children).

FACT: The Better Care Reconciliation Act keeps Obamacare's Medicaid expansion. Federal taxpayers will give over $50 billion to Pennsylvania for Medicaid coverage of able-bodied, working-age adults without dependents. If it were truly repealing the Medicaid expansion, that number would be $0.

Every year, federal Medicaid spending on low-income aged, disabled, adults with dependents, and children in Pennsylvania will go up under the Better Care Reconciliation Act.

Data sources: CMS estimates on Medicaid benefit spending and enrollment aged, disabled, adults with dependents, and children in Pennsylvania in 2015, CMS Office of the Actuary projections for enrollment growth per eligibility category (page 61), and the Pennsylvania Governor's office estimates for spending and enrollment of the newly eligible category (pages 528 and 556)

(NOTE: These are only federal payments for Medicaid benefits, so total Medicaid spending will be higher)