HHS Guarantees 100% Funding For New Medicaid Expansion Beneficiaries

On March 29, 2013, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the final rule on the federal matching rate for the Medicaid expansion population; in the announcement, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius guaranteed that effective January 1, 2014, the federal government will pay 100% of the cost of certain newly eligible adult Medicaid beneficiaries. The Medicaid expansion population includes non-disabled, childless adult Americans under age 65 with income of up to 133% of the federal poverty level (approximately $15,000 for a single adult in 2012). The 100% matching rate will be in effect through 2016, and . . .