Report: 325,000 in R.I. on Medicaid

PROVIDENCE (AP) — Rhode Island officials have released the latest Medicaid Expenditure Report that shows about 325,000 residents were enrolled in Medicaid during the last budget year.

WPRI-TV reported enrollment increased from 231,000 in 2014 after eligibility was expanded under former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. The report says Rhode Island now has the highest enrollment in New England.

The report shows out of the $2.4 billion in Medicaid spending, almost half went to hospitals and nursing homes. The average elderly enrollee costs $2,427 per month, while the average family and children enrollee cost less than $300.

President Donald Trump has proposed to reduce federal Medicaid spending by $610 billion in the next decade. If the president's budget passes, Rhode Island officials say the state would lose hundreds of millions in funding each year.