Medicaid Enrollment Data: How Many People Are Signed Up?

This is an increase of 7.3% from 2021, when close to 83 million were enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.

Medicaid provides free or low-cost insurance for eligible individuals and families who cannot afford individual health insurance. CHIP provides cheap coverage for children.

Medicaid enrollment changes

Oklahoma saw the largest jump in Medicaid enrollment with a year-over-year increase of almost 43%. Oklahoma expanded its Medicaid program in July 2021, allowing more residents to qualify based on income.

Medicaid provides coverage for people who have low incomes, disabilities or substance abuse disorders. The program offers long-term care benefits — which are not included in private health insurance plans or Medicare — for seniors and those with disabilities. Care is provided in facilities or through home- or community-based programs that allow patients to live independently.

The federally funded program also covered 4 in 10 adults under age 65 with opioid use disorder in 2017. This allowed individuals to get increased access to treatment centers and intervention courses.

Children’s Health Insurance Program enrollment changes

Enrollment in CHIP increased by a little over 2% between 2021 and 2022.

The largest change in enrollment was in Pennsylvania, which saw an increase of over 65% in CHIP enrollment. A rise in CHIP enrollment may be tied to changes in the economy and increased job losses in the state during that period.

CHIP is an insurance program that provides free or low-cost health care to eligible children in families whose household income is too high for Medicaid but not high enough to buy private health insurance. In some states, CHIP also covers low-income pregnant people. Depending on the state, income requirements range from 133% to 185% of the federal poverty level (FPL).

Medicaid expansion

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), state Medicaid programs can expand eligibility requirements, allowing more people with low incomes to qualify for Medicaid.

As of 2022, 40 states — including Washington, D.C. — have passed legislation that expands Medicaid. Oklahoma and Missouri expanded Medicaid in 2021, and South Dakota's Medicaid expansion will occur in 2023. The ACA provision expands the income threshold to anyone with an income up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

Sources: