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Medicaid

Millions of Low-Income Americans Can’t Get Medicaid: What Can Be Done?

Research Report

September 2008


Medicaid covers adults only if they fit within federally-defined eligibility categories, that is, they must be pregnant, caring for dependent children, severely disabled, or age 65 or older. Adults in this country, no matter how poor, are beyond the reach of Medicaid unless they fit into one of the defined categories. This Research Report by Stan Dorn of the Urban Institute describes the characteristics of low-income uninsured adults who do not have access to Medicaid, describes the impact of uninsurance on the health status of this population, and offers three approaches the federal government could take to provide access to this vulnerable group. (36 pages)

Pub ID: 2008-13