Medicaid Expansion: A Demographic Portrait of Newly Eligible Coloradans
The Colorado Health Institute today released a report analyzing the demographic characteristics of Coloradans who would become newly eligible for Medicaid insurance coverage if Colorado opts to expand eligibility.
The Affordable Care Act includes financial incentives for states to expand the insurance program for low-income children, parents, pregnant women, individuals with disabilities and the elderly. But the Supreme Court made the decision optional.
Overall, about one of six Coloradans between the ages of 19 and 64 would become newly eligible for Medicaid. Working-age adults, who historically have not had access to Medicaid, would benefit most. They are broken down into two primary groups – adults without dependent children and parents.
The Colorado Health Institute anticipates about half the newly eligible population would actually enroll.
Here’s a high-level look at the findings, which show the newly eligible population would be:
- Younger than the general Colorado population – although one in five of the newly eligible adults without dependent children are between the ages of 55 and 64.
- More male than current Medicaid clients – although nearly two of three newly eligible parents are female.
- About 70 percent white – although Hispanics are disproportionately represented compared to the state’s population.
- Less educated than the population as a whole – although 59 percent have attended at least some college.
- Generally in worse health. Still, about half of both the parents and the adults without dependent children say their health is excellent or very good.
- Likely to be employed, with nearly half of the adults without dependent children and nearly 70 percent of the parents indicating they have jobs.
The analysis is based on data from the 2011 Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS), a program of The Colorado Trust. The survey is managed by the Colorado Health Institute.
About the Colorado Health Institute: The Colorado Health Institute is a trusted source of independent and objective health information, data and analysis for the state's health care leaders. We are a nonprofit funded primarily by four health care conversion foundations - Caring for Colorado Foundation, Rose Community Foundation, The Colorado Trust and The Colorado Health Foundation.
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Contact:
Deborah Goeken, Senior Director of Operations and Communications
goekend@coloradohealthinstitute.org
720 382-7094