Nebraska Can Use Medicaid to Boost the Economy and Close the COVID-19 Coverage Gap

The COVID-19 crisis is sending Nebraska’s economy into a downward spiral and causing thousands in the state to lose their jobs and job-based health insurance. In response, the state must take immediate action to stimulate the economy and prevent additional coverage losses. It can do this by making relatively simple changes to its Medicaid program that would bring additional federal funding into the state, boosting the economy and improving access to health care during the COVID-19 crisis.

There are two changes the state can make:

1. Implement the voter-approved Medicaid expansion now instead of waiting until October.
2. Implement the new federal option to cover COVID-19 testing for the uninsured.

These changes could bring nearly a quarter-billion dollars in federal funding into Nebraska’s economy over the next four months and quickly cover nearly 100,000 people, most of whom are recently unemployed due to COVID-19.