Welfare Leavers' Use of Medicaid Transitional Medical Assistance in California, 1993–1997

Using administrative and survey data, we estimate participation rates in Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA) for the period 1993–97 by California welfare leavers during their first six months post-welfare. We find that although many welfare leavers were eligible for TMA (35% to 47% of exiters), on...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jane Mauldon, Kamran Nayeri, Carlos Dobkin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2002-11-01
Series:Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5034/inquiryjrnl_39.4.372
Description
Summary:Using administrative and survey data, we estimate participation rates in Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA) for the period 1993–97 by California welfare leavers during their first six months post-welfare. We find that although many welfare leavers were eligible for TMA (35% to 47% of exiters), only 26% of eligible people were enrolled in the TMA program. Another 14% were covered by non-TMA Medicaid for the entire six months. Most TMA-eligible exiters had Medicaid coverage (all of it non-TMA) for less than six months (49%) or no Medicaid coverage at all (11%). Supplementary analyses using data from the National Survey of America's Families indicate that if fully implemented, TMA could have substantially reduced uninsurance among welfare leavers.
ISSN:0046-9580