CHANGES IN MEDICAID FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

US disability rates have increased. Has Medicaid coverage of people with disability also increased? We take an historical approach to examine how, despite general trends toward welfare retrenchment and devolution, legislation has expanded Medicaid eligibility. In addition to benefits available to all Medicaid recipients, those with disability may be deemed eligible for special services. Eligibility for Medicaid varies by age, state, and numerous pathways to eligibility. Applicants often endure a daunting array of barriers. Effectiveness is mixed; generally those with disability who have Medicaid coverage have better access to health care and better health outcomes than the uninsured, but many barriers interfere with access to and quality of care. We conclude by evaluating policy proposals aimed at retrenching and expanding Medicaid for people with disability.