1st Annual Operations Survey FY2011

In the United States, each of the 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia operates a Medicaid program to provide health care services to low-income individuals. However, those 56 programs exist amid a diverse range of administrative structures, provider markets, political environments, and programmatic rules and standards that make each Medicaid program unique. The National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) surveyed the nation’s Medicaid Directors to gain a clearer picture of how these programs operate in each of the different state contexts.

This summary represents the responses of 45 of NAMD’s members, and summarizes the key findings of the survey. In essence, Medicaid Directors across the nation serve many different roles and must have a wide range of skills and strengths. This survey helps articulate the many challenges Medicaid Directors face and the broad spectrum of responsibilities they must meet.

In its First Annual Medicaid Operations Survey, NAMD found that Medicaid programs cover from just over 35,000 to over 8 million lives, with nearly two thirds covering fewer than 1 million individuals (see Figure 1). While some programs may be considered relatively small, they are no less diverse or complex in terms of beneficiary needs, covered populations and services, and federal rules and requirements. Ultimately, the job description for the Medicaid Director does not vary at its core. But the position within the state bureaucracy, the professional responsibilities and training, and the experience of the individuals in these positions do differ widely among states.

You can download the full report above, and the chartbook here.