When Medicaid expands next year under the federal health law to include all adults living close to the poverty line, one group of eligible beneficiaries will be several million men and women who have spent time in state and federal prisons and jails.
The Department of Justice estimates former inmates and detainees will comprise about 35 percent of the people who will qualify for Medicaid coverage in the states expanding their programs to anyone earning less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $15,000 for an individual in 2013. The Congressional Budget Office estimated earlier this year that 9 million people will get that new coverage next year.
In addition, the expansion could help states cover the medical costs of some current inmates who need hospitalization or other expensive specialized care outside of prison.
Michigan, which has long been recognized as an innovator in inmate health care, is expanding its Medicaid program. Officials here say that funding could help cover the needs of some seriously ill inmates as well as provide new coverage for released offenders, which could be a valuable tool in curbing recidivism.