States May Expand Medicaid Now, Cut Later

Federal agency says it's OK to cut back when the federal subsidy is slashed

The federal announcement this week that states may choose to expand their Medicaid programs to 138% of the federal poverty level for some period of time, and then later drop out, could provoke some states deeply opposed or on the fence to reconsider.

But the news doesn't answer many of the big questions that remain, says Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors.