Medicaid Overhaul Complicates States’ Plans to Bring Care Into Jails and Prisons

Washington is one of 19 states that have received federal approval to enroll people in Medicaid before they leave jail or prison — a radical change in Medicaid policy that health care and law enforcement leaders believe will save lives.

But this experiment in bringing Medicaid behind bars is now colliding with H.R. 1, the sweeping federal law that is forcing states to make major changes to Medicaid.

Guest(s):

• Autumn Boylan, Deputy director, California Department of Health Care Services
• Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, Professor, Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
• Cody Coughenour
• Pete Croughan, Deputy secretary, Louisiana Department of Health
• Bruce Greenstein, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health
• Tyron Nixon, Medicaid Reentry Transformation Implementation Manager, Washington State Health Care Authority
• Emma Sandoe, Medicaid director, Oregon
• Penelope Sapp, Chief of corrections, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office
• Marc Stern, Former assistant secretary for health care at the Washington Department of Corrections
• Tamara Vanover, Mental health specialist, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office

Learn more: Read the full reporting and explore additional resources on our website.

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This episode was reported by Julie Wernau, edited by Dan Gorenstein and Ryan Levi, and mixed by Andrew Parrella and Cedric Wilson.

The Tradeoffs theme song was composed by Ty Citerman. Additional music this episode from Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound.

Special thanks to Gabrielle de la Gueronniere, Jody Rich and Kinda Serafi.

Tradeoffs reporting for this story was supported, in part, by Arnold Ventures.

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