WASHINGTON (AP) — If you get health care through Medicaid, you may lose that coverage next year.
About 84 million people are covered by the government-sponsored scheme, which has increased by 20 million since January 20, before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But when states start checking everyone’s Medicaid eligibility for the first time in three years, up to 14 million people could lose access to that health care.
See why more people may be ineligible for Medicaid next year and what you need to know if you’re one of those people who rely on the program.
WHAT IS MEDICAID?
At the start of the pandemic, the federal government barred states from deporting people from Medicaid, even if they were no longer eligible. Before the pandemic, people routinely lost Medicaid coverage if they made too much money to enroll in the program, started receiving health care through an employer, or moved to a new state.
Everything came to a standstill when COVID-19 started spreading across the country.
Within the next year, states will have to start checking everyone in Medicaid for eligibility again. People must fill out forms to verify their personal details, including address, income and household size.
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WHEN CAN I DRIVE?
This varies depending on the state you live in; some states move more quickly than others to verify eligibility. Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma and West Virginia are among the states that will begin refunding ineligible Medicaid beneficiaries starting in April.
Other states begin the move in May, June or July.
Not everything is removed from the program at once. States plan to review the eligibility of all recipients over a period of nine months to a year.
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HOW DO I NOTIFY IF THEY ARE NOT COVERED?
If you rely on Medicaid for care, it’s important to update your contact information, including your home address, phone number, and email address, with the state where you receive benefits.
States will mail a renewal form to your home address. The federal government also requires states to contact you by phone, text or email to remind you to fill out the form.
Even if the mailings reach the right address, they can be set aside and forgotten, says Kate McEvoy, executive director of the nonprofit National Association of Medicaid Administrators.
“A text can get someone’s attention in a way that can be distracting,” he said, noting that an instant message can be less threatening than a mailed message.
Many states have used text messages for things like reminding patients about a COVID-19 shot or an upcoming doctor’s appointment. But mass notifications about Medicaid eligibility will be new, McEvoy said.
You will have at least 30 days to complete the form. States can remove you from Medicaid if you don’t fill out the form.
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WHAT SURGERY WILL I HAVE IF COVERED THROUGH MEDICAID?
Now, many people who don’t qualify for Medicaid coverage can turn to the Affordable Care Act marketplace for coverage, where they can find health coverage options for less than $10 a month.
But the coverage available in the marketplace is always very different from what Medicaid offers. Personal costs and co-payments are often high. Also, people should check that the insurance plans offered in the market may still cover their doctors.
The special enrollment period for Medicaid opt-outs begins March 31 and runs through July 31, 2024. People who lose Medicaid coverage can apply at any time after losing coverage during this period and have up to 60. Days to choose plans, according to guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sent to states last month.
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MY CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED IN MEDICAID. WHAT WILL THEIR PERCEPTION BE?
More than half of American children are covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Even if you receive notice that you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, your child may still be eligible for the program or health care coverage through CHIP, which covers children whose families earn too much. The money is eligible for Medicaid, but not. enough income to pay for private health insurance.
The Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute estimates that 80% to 90% of children are still eligible for these programs.
“When parents receive notice that they are no longer eligible, they often assume their child is no longer eligible either,” said Joan Alker, the center’s executive director. “It’s very common that the parent is no longer eligible for Medicaid, but the child is still eligible.”
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Associated Press writer Tom Murphy in Indianapolis contributed to this report.
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