Don't Lose Medicaid!

August 14th, 2023

The Administration for Community Living and independent living centers, are partnering to share important updates to community members to help ensure people don’t lose their Medicaid benefits!  Please read carefully below.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, significant, but temporary, changes were made to Medicaid enrollment and eligibility rules to prevent people from losing Medicaid coverage during the pandemic. With the end of the federal Public Health Emergency on May 11, 2023, all states are resuming their regular processes for renewing individuals’ Medicaid coverage. We want to get the word out to people enrolled in Medicaid, as they need to know that they might have to take action to remain covered, and that there are steps they can take if they lose Medicaid

Based on data from 41 states and the District of Columbia, KFF reports that almost 3.8 million people have been disenrolled from Medicaid as of August 1, 2023. Many of these people may still be eligible for Medicaid but lost coverage because they didn’t return forms, or they or the state made other mistakes. 

It is crucial to make sure everyone covered by Medicaid knows:

• Over the next 12 months, everyone with health care coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will need to renew their coverage. 

• What they need to do to avoid losing coverage if they are still eligible.

• Other options for coverage if they are no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP (such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace or employer-sponsored coverage), and how to find help navigating them.

• Programs that can help if they want to appeal the loss of Medicaid coverage.

Every Medicaid beneficiary needs to receive these important messages:

• UPDATE your contact information with your state Medicaid agency.

• RESPOND to the Medicaid renewal form when it comes in the mail. If you don't, you may lose your coverage even if you are still eligible.

• PARENTS should respond even if you are not eligible or are enrolled in other coverage. Your children could still be eligible for coverage.

• CONNECT WITH RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP: If you lose Medicaid coverage and think you may still be eligible, there are programs that may be able to help you appeal the denial of Medicaidcoverage or find other insurance. 

• State protection and advocacy systems and legal advocacy organizations funded under the Older Americans Act may be able to help with appeals. 

• Disabled people of all ages can contact the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) for assistance.

• Older adults can contact the Eldercare Locator to find local assistance. 

• Older adults and people with disabilities who are eligible for Medicare can also find assistance through their State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). SHIP is a national program that offers one-on-one assistance, counseling, and education to Medicare beneficiaries of all ages, their families, and caregivers to help them make informed decisions about their care and benefits. 

• Benefit Enrollment Centers can also help connect people with insurance or other benefits.

• CHECK OTHER OPTIONS: If you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, you should check to see if you can get coverage through your employer or through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have developed a  variety of materials to share with our communities, to make sure that all communities have access to this important information, in a variety of languages including  English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. CMS has also created fact sheets, including one with suggestions for things we  can do as community members and organizations to help keep people covered.

For additional information and the latest resources, visit the "unwinding" page on ACL.gov.

If you have further questions, please reach out to your local center for independent living.