Amidst the pandemic, Medicaid, the government-sponsored healthcare program, has grown by 20 million people, covering a total of 84 million Americans. However, as states begin to check everyone’s eligibility for Medicaid for the first time in three years, up to 14 million people could lose access to that healthcare coverage. The verification process will require individuals to fill out forms to verify their personal information, including address, income, and household size.
Before the pandemic, people would regularly lose their Medicaid coverage if they started making too much money to qualify for the program, gained healthcare coverage through their employer, or moved into a new state. But the federal government prohibited states from kicking people off Medicaid at the beginning of the pandemic, even if they were no longer eligible.
The removal of ineligible Medicaid recipients will vary depending on which state one lives in, with some states, such as Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, and West Virginia, beginning to remove recipients as early as April. Other states will begin taking that step in May, June or July. States plan to verify all recipients’ eligibility over periods of nine months to one year.
It is important for individuals who rely on Medicaid to update their contact information with the state from which they receive benefits. States will mail a renewal form to the individual’s home and are required to contact recipients by phone, text message, or email to remind them to fill out the form. Even if mailed notices reach the right address, they can be set aside and forgotten, so a text message reminder may be more accessible and less intimidating.
If an individual is removed from Medicaid, they can turn to the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace for coverage, where they’ll find healthcare coverage options that may cost less than $10 a month. However, the coverage available on the marketplace will still be vastly different from what’s offered through Medicaid. Out-of-pocket expenses and co-pays are often higher, and individuals will need to check if the insurance plans offered through the marketplace will still cover their doctors.
Children enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program are not affected if their parents lose their Medicaid coverage. Between 80% and 90% percent of children will still be eligible for those programs, according to estimates from the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute’s Center for Children and Families.
The removal of up to 14 million people from Medicaid coverage may cause significant distress and hardship for many Americans, particularly given the ongoing pandemic. It is vital for individuals to ensure their contact information is updated with the state from which they receive benefits and to fill out the verification form to maintain their coverage.
Sources: WashingtonExaminer, APnews
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