Vermont to be a small percentage when U.S. Medicaid roll tops 100M

U.S. House of Representatives

Medicaid provides health care coverage to low-income residents, including adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.

By Brent Addleman | The Center Square

Vermont accounts for a small fraction of the 100 million peopled expected to be on Medicaid in the coming months, a new report says.

The Foundation for Government Accountability has released a new study that illustrates that more than 98 million Americans are enrolled in the program. Vermont, as of June 30, has 210,010 enrolled in the health care program.

Medicaid provides health care coverage to low-income residents, including adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.

“For years, FGA has been warning about the rising number of people on government welfare programs,” Hayden Dublois, data and analytics director for the policy group, said in a release. “Now, we’re nearing a grim milestone — nearly one-third of the country will be on Medicaid.”

The group’s research shows that as welfare enrollment increases workforce participation decreases and is urging the federal government to take action.

“We’re in the midst of a nationwide workforce crisis, yet the Biden administration is pushing policies to entice people into government dependency at record levels while limiting opportunities to achieve the American Dream,” Dublois said in a release.

According to the release, the organization points to rising enrollment in the program is primarily due to the federal government extending the public health emergency related to COVID-19.

The group said that while those emergency measures are in place states will receive additional funding for the program with the caveat that those enrolled remain in the program.

Under the emergency, the group said, 21 million Americans are enrolled in the program who would not have qualified under nonpandemic conditions due to earning too much income or are ineligible.

“The pandemic-era policy keeping more than 21 million ineligible enrollees on Medicaid is costing taxpayers more than $16 billion per month,” Dublois said in the release. “Despite the recently enacted legislation allowing states to redetermine eligibility beginning in April, the Biden administration is slow walking the process and hoping states will be sluggish to act.”

Neighboring states have greater enrollment in the program than The Green Mountain State. New York has 7,688,100 enrolled in the program as of Oct. 31; Massachusetts has 2,292,482 enrolled as of Sept. 30; and New Hampshire has 355,322 enrolled as of Nov. 30.

Image courtesy of U.S. House of Representatives

3 thoughts on “Vermont to be a small percentage when U.S. Medicaid roll tops 100M

  1. I want to know why people on Social Security and Medicare have to pay $170 a month for part B, plus deductibles, when others who did work for what they have get medical care for free. Seems like Medicaid is a buying votes scheme that needs to be vastly reduced.

    And a few months ago, the VA sent to the local hospital ER for some tests. The hospital billed Medicare, instead of the VA. I got an outrageous bill, not just in my deductible, but in the actual charges. After some complaining, the hospital billed the VA. The VA sent a statement showing what they paid — the costs paid by the VA was 1/4 of what the hospital billed Medicare. Thus, we can see the markup for the benefit of who? the hospital administration?

  2. Well that is a dumb article. Duhh…the headline is VT has a small percentage nationwide enrolled in Medicaid. At the end they give the enrolees for the states around VT….but WHERE did the article give the number of those on Medicaid for VT? I did not see it.. the key is not the number in VT compared to others….but what percentage of the VT population is on subsidy Medicaid.

    So I searched and found this:

    “As of September 2022, Vermont has enrolled 190,467 individuals in Medicaid and CHIP — a net increase of 18.24% since the first Marketplace Open Enrollment Period and related Medicaid program changes in October 2013.”

    That works out to an astounding almost 30% of Vt’s population….on subsidized $$$ medicaid….and almost a majority of that is paid by the State….along with Federal assisatnce. Considering the rise in VT’s numbers and the skyrocketing cost of all healthcare and drugs….VT’s budget is on the hook for a lot of it. But VT already spends $9.1 billion for 640,00 peopple? WHERE will the money come from?

    • Exactly. I have been tracking these numbers for years and used to work on the fiscal agent account for VT Medicaid. Now consider all the other benefit programs this population can apply for such as heating assistance, food stamps, free day care and others. It pays big bucks not to work. I know one family, with educated and competent parents who refuse to make a livible wage so their children can get Dr. Dinosaur benefits. They actually do this on purpose. This program is abused to no end at the expense of taxpayers.

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