The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on the health and health care utilization of Americans, but there is limited information on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Medicaid beneficiaries. In this issue brief, we use data from the 2020 and 2021 National Health Interview Survey to compare demographics, COVID-19 diagnosis, severity of COVID-19, and delayed and forgone care because of the COVID-19 pandemic between Medicaid beneficiaries, privately insured individuals, and those without insurance, as well as by race and ethnicity.
This issue brief highlights differences in beneficiaries’ experiences with testing and diagnosis of COVID-19. It examines the severity of symptoms between Medicaid beneficiaries, privately insured individuals, and those without insurance, as well as delayed and forgone care because of the pandemic.
Additionally, it explores the impact of race and ethnicity on the experiences of Medicaid beneficiaries during the pandemic. Although there were racial and ethnic differences within the Medicaid population, there was no consistent pattern to these findings.