Georgia Leaves Money on Table With Partial Medicaid Expansion

Georgia’s plan to partially broaden Medicaid eligibility will cost the state more money per enrollee than if it chose to adopt full expansion as prescribed by the Affordable Care Act, analysts say.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved the state’s request to expand Medicaid eligibility to include adults with incomes up to 100% of the federal poverty level. That’s an increase from the current 35% threshold, but below the 138% line set by the ACA.

Georgia officials said that full expansion would cost too much, but the state’s decision to expand the program to a level below 138% ...