In January 2014, some states will expand eligibility through the Medicaid program, while other states will not. Because rural residents are likely to be disproportionately affected by Medicaid expansion, understanding this interstate variation has important policy implications.

Publications

• How Does Medicaid Expansion Affect Insurance Coverage of Rural Populations?
  Policy Brief
  North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Date: 07/2014
  This brief examines how states' decisions on Medicaid expansion are impacting rural areas in the United States. Population estimates, current state expansion status, and state-level insurance estimates were used to answer two main questions—how is expansion affecting rural populations and how would it differ if every state were to expand Medicaid.