National Autism Indicators Report: Use of Dual Medicaid and Medicare Coverage among Autistic People

This report highlights a critical but overlooked group: autistic adults who are dual eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare.

About 2.2% of U.S. adults—around 5.5 million people—are on the autism spectrum. The number of autistic adults is growing quickly, with rates increasing nearly 300% since 2000. Many autistic people also have other physical and mental health conditions, which means they often need specialized health care and community support throughout their lives.

Like other adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), autistic adults often rely on public health insurance. Most use Medicaid or Medicare, and some qualify for both programs. Individuals who qualify for both are called “dual eligibles” or “duals.”

As autism prevalence rises, public systems like Medicaid and Medicare are struggling to meet the needs of the growing population of autistic adults. Autistic adults frequently use Medicaid to meet their health and service needs, but integrated use of both Medicaid and Medicare among dual eligibles is underdeveloped.

Understanding pathways and reasons for dual eligibility within this population is essential to guide policy and improve care systems. This report presents new findings about dual eligibility among autistic people.