Medicaid Unwinding

Connecticut

via Access Health CT:

These free, in-person events will take place in Bridgeport, East Hartford, Middletown and Torrington

HARTFORD, Conn. (June 27, 2023) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced it will host four free, in-person enrollment fairs in July and August to help HUSKY Health enrollees who have been affected by recent legislation. The events will take place in Bridgeport, East Hartford, Middletown and Torrington. HUSKY Health is Connecticut’s Medicaid program.

Medicaid Unwinding is a term the federal government is using to describe the process of resuming reviewing households for Medicaid eligibility after a three-year hiatus during the Public Health Emergency. The eligibility redetermination process resumed April 1.

Connecticut residents that remain eligible for HUSKY Health will likely be automatically reenrolled; those that need to take action will receive mail with instructions.

via Nevada Health Link:

State Agencies Work Together to Keep Nevadans Insured

  • Nevada Health Link, Nevada Medicaid and Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) continue to engage Nevadans whose health coverage may be impacted by the Public Health Emergency ending

(CARSON CITY, Nev.) – Nevada Health Link, Nevada Medicaid and the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) are working together to ensure Nevadans enrolled on Medicaid are informed about the Medicaid renewal process that has resumed as a result of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) ending. The state agencies are working to keep Nevadans insured by encouraging them to fill out their redetermination packets in the mail and if they are no longer eligible for Medicaid, to seek affordable health insurance coverage through the state marketplace, Nevada Health Link.

Medicaid Unwinding

A month ago I posted a post which included a very incomplete, rudimentary look at just how many Americans had lost Medicaid or CHIP coverage due to the ongoing Medicaid Unwinding process playing out nationally, based on initial data reported by Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Center for Children & Families at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute:

...data is only available for 8 states so far; for another, the data from those states is a mish-mash, clearly broken out in some but only partial in others, and some only include percentages instead of hard numbers.

Even so, you can already see that at least 258,000 people have lost Medicaid coverage due to paperwork/clerical issues in just Arkansas and Florida alone...in just the first two months of the unwinding process.

via the Pennsylvania Dept. of Human Services website:

Erie, PA - Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Acting Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh and Pennie® Director of External Affairs Chachi Angelo joined representatives from Community Health Net today to highlight how the Shapiro Administration, Pennie, and local health centers are collaborating to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements so they can protect their health and stay covered.  

“Everyone deserves the dignity and peace of mind of having access to affordable, high-quality, local health care and knowing they can go to the doctor when they need it. DHS’ goal throughout the renewal process is to make sure that all Pennsylvanians stay covered,” said Acting Secretary Arkoosh. “I urge all Pennsylvanians who get their health coverage through the state Medicaid program to be on the lookout for communications from DHS about your renewal, and to make sure you complete it on time when it’s your turn to renew.”  

via Connect for Health Colorado:

Colorado’s Marketplace Offers Free Enrollment Help and Low-Cost Health Plans

DENVER— For the first time in more than three years, Coloradans who are no longer eligible for Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) will start to lose their coverage.

Why Coloradans Might Lose Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program)

This change was the result of federal legislation passed in winter of 2022: the Omnibus bill, otherwise known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act. It included a provision to end the requirement for states to keep individuals covered by Medicaid during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. 

The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) estimates that more than 325,000 current members will no longer be eligible for Health First Colorado coverage following their annual eligibility review. These eligibility reviews will be done in the anniversary month of when the person enrolled.

 

via Covered California:

Covered California Launches Statewide Push to Help Californians Stay Covered if They Lose Their Medi-Cal Eligibility

Covered California lanza una campaña estatal para ayudar a los californianos a permanecer cubiertos si pierden su elegibilidad para Medi-Cal

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California launched a virtual media tour on Wednesday to spread the word about the upcoming Medi-Cal to Covered California Enrollment Program and how it will help keep Californians covered. 

via Access Health CT:

These free, in-person events will take place in Meriden, Norwich and Waterbury

HARTFORD, Conn. (May 24, 2023) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced it will host three free, in-person enrollment fairs in June to help HUSKY Health enrollees who have been affected by recent legislation. HUSKY Health is Connecticut’s Medicaid program. The events will take place in Meriden, Norwich and Waterbury.

Medicaid Unwinding is a term the federal government is using to describe the process of resuming the regular annual review of households for Medicaid eligibility after a three-year hiatus during COVID. The eligibility redetermination process resumed April 1. The Medicaid Unwinding process will be taking place over a 12-month period.

Connecticut residents who remain eligible for HUSKY Health will likely be automatically reenrolled; those who need to take action will receive mail with instructions about when they need to take action.

Michigan

via Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's website:

May 09, 2023

To: State Department Directors and Autonomous Agency Heads

From: Governor Gretchen Whitmer

The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, passed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, required Medicaid programs to keep participants continuously enrolled and provided additional federal funding to do so.  In December 2022, Congress passed a law ending the continuous enrollment and winding down the associated federal funding.  As a result, more than 3 million Michiganders will need to undergo redeterminations for Medicaid coverage or find alternative health insurance if they no longer qualify.

During the COVID pandemic emergency, Congress passed legislation which, among other things, required states to provide "continuous coverage" of people who enrolled in Medicaid or the CHIP program.

Normally Medicaid/CHIP enrollees have their eligibility statuses "redetermined" every month (or quarter in some states, I believe) to make sure they were still eligible for the program, but the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) stated that in order to receive increased federal funding of their Medicaid/CHIP programs, states couldn't kick anyone off as long as the public health emergency was in place (unless they died, moved out of state or asked to be disenrolled).

This requirement ended effective April 1st, 2023 via an omnibus bill passed back in December.

via NY State of Health:

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and Acting Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. James McDonald today warned New Yorkers about a new scam targeting New Yorkers enrolled in public health insurance programs and provided important tips to protect consumers. For the first time since March 2020, people enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan will have to renew their health insurance coverage. Attorney General James and Acting Commissioner Dr. McDonald are urging New Yorkers to be vigilant in light of reports of scammers deceptively calling people and asking them to pay hundreds of dollars to maintain their health insurance.

“It is despicable that scammers are trying to exploit New Yorkers’ need for quality health insurance and uncertainty over ongoing Medicaid coverage,” said Attorney General James. “The best tool consumers and families have to combat scams is knowledge, and that is why I am committed to raising this issue. I urge everyone to follow our important tips, and anyone impacted by this scam to contact my office immediately.”

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