How are states using the Medicaid federal-matching money?
According to Medicaid Program at a Glance, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (2007), the federal matching rate, known as the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) varies from state to state, generally ranging between 50 to 76 percent. Federal Medicaid matching funds for the costs of these services are available to states that elect to participate in the program. As a condition of participation, states must cover certain populations (e.g., elderly poor receiving Supplemental Security Income) and certain services (e.g., hospital care). At the federal level, eligibility policy choices are reflected in the way in which the Medicaid statute allows federal matching funds to be used. More specifically, federal Medicaid matching funds are available to states for the costs of covering some categories of low-income individuals, such as adults with disabilities and the elderly—but not other categories like childless, non-disabled adults under age 65. The main strategies that
