States that thus far have refused a federal offer to expand Medicaid are still seeing significant sign-ups for the safety-net program that serves the poor, according to a report Tuesday that raises political and budget implications. The market analysis firm Avalare Health estimated that at least 550,300 more people signed up for Medicaid through the end of March in 17 out of 26 states that have not yet expanded eligibility for the program under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The actual number could be markedly higher since Avalere did not report data for populous Florida.
