Dr J. Mario Molina on the Changing Demographics of Medicaid

Funding is an obvious issue facing Medicaid right now, but another is the changing demographic, J. Mario Molina, MD, president and chief executive officer of Molina Healthcare, said at the America’s Health Insurance Plans’ National Conferences on Medicare and Medicaid, and Dual Eligibles Summit.

Health plans are being asked to take on more elderly and disabled Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as long-term care, which is a new role.

“I think health plans are going to have to learn more about long-term care services,” Dr Molina said. “Because right now about 75% of the Medicaid patients are already enrolled, the 25% who are not are spending 75% of the money.”