According to the just released MACPAC March 2011 Report to the Congress on Medicaid and CHIP “Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are sources of health care coverage for 76 million people, almost one quarter of the population. Medicaid finances health care and related services for more than 30 million low-income children, more than 10 million low-income persons with disabilities, and 6 million low income seniors with Medicare. CHIP finances health coverage for 8 million uninsured children in families with moderate incomes above Medicaid eligibility levels.”
Open Minds goes on to summarize that “A quarter of Americans—about 75 million people—were covered by Medicaid or a health plan offered through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in fiscal year 2010 at a cost of $411 billion. Of these, Medicaid covered a total of 68 million children and adults at a cost of $400 billion. Medicaid covered about 30 million children under the age of 19—this is about 44% of the Medicaid population and about 40% of the U.S. population of approximately 75 million children. CHIP covered about 8 million children (about 11% of children under age 19 in the U.S.) at a cost of $11 billion.”
