Medicaid Continuous Coverage Unwinding

Millions of children and families could lose Medicaid coverage as regular renewals restart

• During the pandemic, most people were able to stay on their Medicaid coverage without interruption and without having to take action like completing renewal paperwork. 
• However, this pandemic-era continuous coverage policy that has allowed most people to keep their Medicaid coverage without a need to take action is ending.
• This means that most people will once again need to start completing their renewal paperwork to keep their Medicaid coverage. 
• If enrollees do not submit renewal paperwork on time, or if they are no longer eligible for Medicaid, coverage terminations could start as soon as April 1^st. However, it’s important to note that while some enrollees will begin receiving their renewal paperwork now, others may not get their renewal paperwork until later this year or the beginning of next year.
• Because states will face the massive task of reviewing the Medicaid eligibility for the nearly 84 million people currently enrolled in the program, there is a risk that millions of people will lose their Medicaid coverage, including those that continue to qualify.
• Nearly 18 million people are at risk of losing their Medicaid health coverage; 6.7 of them will be children. The large majority of these children will still be eligible for Medicaid but will lose their coverage due to administrative barriers like having outdated contact information and not receiving notices and other important information, experiencing a confusing renewal process, not submitting paperwork on time, or only having access to information about their coverage in English. Children who are no longer eligible for Medicaid are very likely to qualify for CHIP or the ACA marketplace and will need help transitioning their coverage.
• Across communities, the impact of coverage losses will be most felt by children and communities of color. Research predicts that:
  • More than half – 57 percent – of those who are estimated to lose coverage yet remain eligible for Medicaid during the continuous coverage ‘unwinding,’ will be children. (Nearly 4 million children.)
  • Out of every 4 children that lose coverage during the unwinding, 3 will remain eligible. 
  • Of Latinos that lose their Medicaid coverage, the large majority (64 percent) will in fact still be eligible.
  • Of Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders that lose their Medicaid coverage, more than half (50.5 percent) will remain eligible.
  • Of Black non-Latinos that lose their Medicaid coverage, nearly half (39.6 percent) will remain eligible.
  • This is compared to 17.2 percent of white, non-Latino groups. 
• State leaders should take steps now to streamline the renewal process and ensure that eligible people remain enrolled.
• However, an all-hands-on-deck effort is also needed to ensure children and families have the information they need to help protect their health coverage.
• Now is the time to inform impacted communities across the country about the renewal notices. School districts can play a central role in protecting children from losing their health coverage and the access to care and financial protection that comes with it. 

Key messages for children and families

• Families with children or other family members on Medicaid will once again need to complete the eligibility renewal process for Medicaid or risk losing their coverage. 
• Families with Medicaid should contact their state Medicaid office now and make sure their contact information and mailing address is up to date.
• Families should make sure to check the mail, fill out a renewal form if they receive one – which could happen at some point this year or early next year – and return it ASAP to avoid losing Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
• If you no longer qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, you may be able to get affordable health coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.  To learn more, visit HealthCare.gov (or your state-based marketplace) or call 1.800-318-2596.