Medicaid, key issues facing the program

" The Medicaid program marks its 50th anniversary on July 30, 2015. The joint federal-state program has grown to be one of the largest sources of health care coverage and financing for a diverse low-income and medically needy population. Medicaid is undergoing transformative changes, in part due to PPACA, which expanded the program by allowing states to opt to cover low-income adults in addition to individuals in historic categories, such as children, pregnant women, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. GAO has a large body of work on challenges facing Medicaid and gaps in federal oversight. This report describes (1) key issues that face the Medicaid program based on this work, and (2) program and other changes with implications for federal oversight. GAO reviewed its reports on Medicaid issued from January 2005 through July 2015; reviewed documentation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the HHS agency that oversees Medicaid; and interviewed CMS officials. "