Many Americans are at risk of losing their Medicaid coverage throughout multiple sates, causing major confusion and a lot of questions.
American’s May Lose Medicaid Coverage
As the coronavirus pandemic subsides, millions of Americans are at risk of losing their health insurance coverage, as the federal government lifts the restrictions that prohibited states from removing individuals deemed ineligible from Medicaid.
Advocacy groups have long warned of the ensuing chaos and errors that could leave some of the poorest Americans without health insurance, leaving them unable to pay for essential medical care.
Multiple States Effected
Recent data gathered by the AP confirms that Medicaid enrollees in several states, including Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Dakota, have been erroneously removed from the program.
In Arkansas, for instance, Trevor Hawkins of Legal Aid of Arkansas, who provides free legal services to people in need, is witnessing the problems firsthand the state is facing in its attempts to review the program before the year’s end.
Hawkins spends his days driving across the state’s winding roads to help people who have lost their coverage or require assistance filling out the complex forms that the state has mailed them.
He also fields around six phone calls daily from people who seek guidance on their Medicaid applications.
Hawkins stated that the notices are so confusing that no two people have the same experience of losing their coverage, making it challenging to pinpoint the real issue.
He added that some people have received pre-populated application forms with incorrect income or household information, leaving them no space to correct the state’s errors.
Frustration Over Confusion and Losing Coverage
Others have received documents indicating that Medicaid recipients will lose their coverage before they have had the opportunity to reapply.
Arkansas’ Department of Human Services spokesman said that the forms instruct enrollees to fill in their information.
To ensure their coverage doesn’t lapse, about a dozen staffers at Adelante Healthcare, a small chain of community clinics in Phoenix, call families they believe are at risk of losing Medicaid every weekday.
The clinic’s walls are adorned with colorful posters in both English and Spanish, reminding families to verify their Medicaid insurance details.
Health insurance experts advise Medicaid recipients to confirm that their state has their current address, which will ensure that they receive a letter telling them what information to submit to keep their coverage.
It’s also critical to follow the letter’s instructions promptly without delay.
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