Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
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Nebraska Medicaid Program

Nebraska Medicaid Reform

Nebraska Demographics
To help explain Medicaid spending in Nebraska, we need to look at our PDF current population.

We’ve compared it to the national average as a benchmark. We have a greater percentage of our population over the age of 85 than the national average. We have a greater percentage of our population over 65 than the national average. We have a greater percentage of children under 17 than the national average. Children and persons over the age of 65 are two of the categories that may be eligible for Medicaid.


PDF Nebraska Data

PDF NE Population Projections - Age 85+

PDF NE Population Projections - Age 65+

PDF NE Population Projections - Age 0-17
The percentage of our population below poverty is significantly lower than the national average but the percentage of our population over 65 that's below the poverty level is slightly higher than the national average. All of these factors must be taken into consideration as we reform Medicaid.

There are going to be demographic changes in our state. Looking at projections for the years of 2000 to 2030, there is a sharp increase in 2020 in the number of people over 85. There will presumably also be an increase in the number of people consuming medical services and going on Medicaid.

Again starting at about 2010—the baby boomers— the 65+ population goes up. We need to plan for those population changes along with things like improved health care and longer life spans.

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