By Tara Mancini

The latest data from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured on Medicaid and CHIP enrollment indicate that growth continues to slow after several years of higher recession-fueled enrollment increases.

Between June 2011 and June 2012, the growth rate in Medicaid was 2.5%, slightly less than a third of the growth rate experienced at the height of the recession. Overall, 1.3 million individuals enrolled in Medicaid during this time, with more growth coming from families, children and pregnant women (539,500) than from the aged and disabled (431,400), although the later group had a higher annual enrollment growth rate. There were also approximately 369,000 enrollees in states that cover adults without dependent children, whether through a waiver or an ACA related.

Among enrollment for families, children, and pregnant women, CO, FL, OH, and NC experienced the largest growth. The current growth in NC is attributed to administrative simplifications, as enrollment in CO, FL, and OH, is actually slowing down. Overall, enrollment in this group grew in all but 12 states, with Pennsylvania experiencing the largest decline (as thousands have been dropped from coverage since 2011).

Overall, enrollment for families, children, and pregnant women grew in all but 12 states, with CO, FL, OH, and NC experiencing the largest growth. Conversely, Pennsylvania saw the largest decline, as thousands have been dropped from coverage since 2011.

During the same period, child enrollment in CHIP grew at a rate of 3.9%, slightly higher than the previous period (3.5%), but still less than half the peak growth rate of 10% that was seen in 2008 during the recession.

Like the Medicaid enrollment data, CHIP enrollment data shows large variation between states. Enrollment grew in 35 states, which CHIP directors attributed to the lingering impact of the recession, outreach efforts, and enrollment simplifications.

Colorado had the largest rate of growth, nearly 30%, while Arizona had almost a 34% decline, the greatest of any of the 16 states that had a decrease in enrollment. The large decline in Arizona’s CHIP is largely the result of the enrollment freeze enacted in December 2009.