New Kaiser 50-State Survey Reports Sharp Increase in Medicaid Enrollment and Spending Amidst Worst Recession in Decades.

The annual Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured 50-state survey of state Medicaid officials found that the increased federal, temporary Medicaid assistance (FMAP) was critical to states. However, the survey results also find that the number of people on Medicaid and state spending on the program are climbing sharply as a result of the recession, straining state budgets and pressuring officials to curb costs. Total Medicaid spending growth averaged 7.9 percent in FY 2009, the highest rate in five years, well above the 5.8 percent projected growth. For FY 2010, states estimate Medicaid enrollment will grow by 6.6 percent over FY 2009 levels, with Medicaid spending across states expected to grow by an average of at least 6.3 percent in fiscal 2010.