Medicaid Enrollment and Spending

The left circle divides Medicaid enrollees into four groups, and the right one divides Medicaid spending among the same groups. The two look very different. Children are 39 percent of enrollees but only 19 percent of spending, because most children need relatively little care.

People who are blind or have a disability are 15 percent of enrollees and 38 percent of spending, and people over 65 are 8 percent of enrollees and 16 percent of spending. Long-term care, nursing homes and continuous treatment are expensive, so a small share of enrollees accounts for a large share of the budget. The slider picks a group and the side panel gives both of its shares and the ratio between them.