Maryland Medicaid Expansion Much Higher Than Forecast

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland is one of more than a dozen states where new Medicaid enrollees under President Barack Obama’s health care law have surpassed initial projects, though state analysts say Maryland is actually spending less on its Medicaid population because federal health care reform is covering 100,000 people who used to get health care paid entirely by the state.

The projected newly eligible enrollment for fiscal year 2015 initially was 164,724 in Maryland. The initial estimated cost was about $31 million for fiscal year 2017, when states begin paying their share.

The actual enrollment for fiscal year 2015 ended up being about 220,442, with an estimated cost of about $54 million in fiscal year 2017. Maryland is currently in the process of setting rates for managed care organizations for calendar 2016, so the projected $54 million cost could change again later this year.

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