On May 20, the Kaiser Family Foundation released a brief examining Medicaid's role in covering black Americans.  The brief outlines Medicaid enrollment among black Americans, explains how the program affects their access to care, and projects the impact of the national health care reform law on Medicaid coverage for this population.  The brief also offers a chart of state-by-state data regarding black American's health coverage.

From the report:

Medicaid plays a particularly important role among black Americans who are low-income, children, or in poor health. In 2009, Medicaid covered nearly half (49%) of poor black Americans, or those living below the poverty line ($22,050 for a family of four in 2009), and a quarter (24%) of near-poor, or those with incomes above poverty but below twice the poverty line. Medicaid covered half of all black children in the United States and nearly two-thirds (64%) of low-income black children.

Full report: Medicaid's Role for Black Americans (PDF | 384.75 kb)

Kaiser Family Foundation.  (2011).  Medicaid's role for black Americans.