The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) provides for an expansion of Medicaid eligibility for individuals who have an annual household income at or below 138% (including the 5% income exclusion) of the federal poverty level (FPL). Recent discussion has turned to individuals who may qualify for Medicaid even though their households have significant Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Using the 2009 American Community Survey (ACS) data published by the U.S. Census Bureau, this paper explores the potential number of individuals receiving Social Security or SSI and other family members within the household who may have been excluded from the Medicaid population expansion analyses because of the differences between defining household income under the public surveys and the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). The MAGI methodology will be used to determine eligibility for Medicaid and exchange subsidies under the PPACA.

State-by-state results are provided in the appendices to this paper.