Adolescents With Autism More Likely To Leave Medicaid As They Enter Adulthood In States Without Medicaid Waivers

When youth and young adult (ages 14 to 21) Medicaid beneficiaries with autism enter adulthood at age 22, in states without a 1915(c) waiver to serve adults with autism, about 13% lose Medicaid coverage. Prior to turning 22 the disenrollment rates is about 2% per year. In states with a 1915(c) waiver, the disenrollment rates before and after age 22 remain at 2%.

A higher proportion of disenrolled individuals were Medicare-eligible due to poverty (22.5%) than continually enrolled individuals (5.3%). About 5.8% of young adults with autism who are disenrolled from Medicaid are also . . .