XPost: alt.health, alt.california, alt.business.insurance
XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, sac.politics
Since the expiration of COVID-19 related health care guarantees, public insurance coverage in California has dropped by over 850,000.
The nationwide "disenrollment," or "unwinding," process that began last
year has seen Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment in the Golden State fall from around 14.3 million to just over
13.4 million over the 18 months leading up to October 2024, according to
KFF, a health policy research nonprofit.
Why It Matters
The change in California's enrollment rate (6 percent) is less drastic
than that seen in other similarly populous states such as Florida and
Texas. KFF research shows that its overall disenrollment rate—the number
of those who were unable to renew coverage after being disenrolled—of 19 percent, sits below the national average of 31 percent.
However, the high figure still raises concerns about the health care of
nearly 1 million Californians. Studies have also found that many
disenrollments occurred not due to a lack of eligibility, but rather
confusion around the post-COVID unwinding process, state failures to communicate these details to individuals, as well as procedural issues
that prevented many from renewing their coverage.
What To Know
The "continuous enrollment" provision was included in The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, passed in early 2020, and ensured that states
could not withdraw Medicaid and CHIP coverage from individuals during the course of the coronavirus health emergency.
Redeterminations were put on pause until March 2023, leading to a sharp 13 million increase in the number of those receiving public health care.
However, in the months following the expiry of continuous enrollment, KFF surveys revealed that many individuals did not understand the implications
of the unwinding process. Researchers also discovered that delays, administrative errors and other "procedural issues" had resulted in many
being unable to complete redeterminations in time to renew their coverage.
There is wide variance in disenrollment rates between states, owing to a
number of factors. KFF noted early on in the unwinding process that states
such as Pennsylvania had flagged enrollees as "likely ineligible" in order
to expedite their de-enrollment following the expiration of the COVID-era protections.
Other states, California included, made attempts to build upon the
expansion in coverage seen during COVID through ex parte, or auto-renewal initiatives, which drastically reduced the number of those who lost out on health care for to the "procedural reasons" KFF describes.
As a result, while some 850,000 have lost their public health care since
March 2023, this figure is far lower than some previous estimates. Additionally, enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP remains over 1.8 million (16 percent) higher than in February 2020.
What People Are Saying
Ben Anderson, deputy senior director of health policy at Families USA, a
health care-focused consumer advocacy group, told KFF Health News in
September: "We have seen some amazing coverage expansion in places like
Oregon and California. But if you live in Texas, Florida, and Georgia,
since the pandemic your health coverage has been disrupted in ways that
were preventable by state leaders."
What Happens Next?
The unwinding process has largely come to an end, according to KFF, though
it said some states may still be completing determinations for Medicaid eligibility.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/california-removes-850-000-people- from-health-care-plan/ar-AA1z6y7u
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