The Federal government announced a new program allowing states to apply for block grants or per capita caps in exchange for new flexibility to limit enrollment and benefits. A new report from the Urban Institute discusses how this policy may place states at risk for the increased costs from recession related increases in enrollment as well as spikes in spending from unforeseen events such as the coronavirus outbreak or the opioid epidemic.

The report can be obtained at https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/101913/medicaid20block20grants20and20per20capita20caps.pdf.