Briefs & Reports
View all briefs and reports

Medicaid and Health Policy Highlights from Governors’ Proposed Budgets

Kaiser Family Foundation

Governor’s Proposed Budgets for FY 2018: Focus on Medicaid and Other Health Priorities

This issue brief, authored by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Management Associates (HMA), analyzes governors’ proposed budgets for state fiscal year (FY) 2018.

Despite nearly half of the states facing budget challenges for FY 2018, many governors are recommending enhancements to Medicaid and increasing the use of managed care and community-based long-term services and supports. With ongoing debate of the Affordable Care Act at the federal level, several governors still view Medicaid expansion as a solution to addressing top health priorities, including the opioid epidemic and healthcare for those involved with the criminal justice system.

This issue brief reviews 48 proposed state budgets. Key findings are presented in the areas of:

• Provider payment rates and taxes
• Eligibility changes
• Benefits, premiums and cost-sharing
• Delivery system and managed care reforms
• Community-based long-term services and supports
• Medicaid administration
• Initiatives to fight the opioid epidemic
• Initiatives to enhance behavioral health services
• Health-related corrections and criminal justice initiatives

HMA’s Kathleen Gifford and Nicole McMahon co-authored the issue brief along with Larisa Antonisse, Elizabeth Hinton and Robin Rudowitz of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Download