Lawmakers across the country are considering “Medicaid buy-in” programs to stabilize the Affordable Care Act insurance market and offer a coverage option that is more affordable and accessible than current options in the individual and employer markets. The concept of Medicaid buy-in is evolving, encompassing the original Medicaid-based proposals and extending to other programs through which states can leverage government bargaining power to offer a more affordable coverage option, like state employee health plans or a Basic Health Plan.

In a new brief for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s State Health and Value Strategies program, Manatt Health discusses six key issues that state policymakers need to consider when choosing a buy-in model, designing its features and introducing a Medicaid buy-in program. Considerations include...