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), 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.
Mauldon
Jane
J
Goldman School of Public Policy and at UC DATA, University of California, Berkeley 94720-5100, USA.
Nayeri
Kamran
K
Dobkin
Carlos
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000385:Aid to Families with Dependent Children / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004608:Eligibility Determination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006291:Health Policy; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013221:State Health Plans; D014481:United States