Issue Briefs , Reports | Nov 3, 2015

Medicaid Expansion and Criminal Justice Costs: Pre-Expansion Studies and Emerging Practices Point Toward Opportunities for States

Jocelyn Guyer, Deborah Bachrach, and Naomi Shine, Manatt Health Solutions

The expansion of Medicaid under the ACA in many states has generated substantial interest in the potential role that Medicaid may play in tackling pressing criminal justice issues.  Recent research by Manatt Health Solutions has examined the fiscal implications of Medicaid expansion.  The first and second reports explored state budget savings and revenue gains associated with expansion, while the third specifically examined the impact of expansion on uncompensated care spending and related state budget implications.  This issue brief, the fourth in this series prepared by Manatt Health Solutions, examines state experiences prior to expansion, focusing on state savings associated with providing health care services and social support to justice-involved individuals through state-funded programs, and also highlights some of the new approaches being adopted by states with Medicaid expansion to connect justice-involved individuals to coverage and care.