{"id":32842,"date":"2023-10-12T21:31:13","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T01:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=32842"},"modified":"2023-10-12T21:31:14","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T01:31:14","slug":"cronkite-news-millions-of-americans-lose-medicaid-insurance-due-to-unwinding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/10\/12\/cronkite-news-millions-of-americans-lose-medicaid-insurance-due-to-unwinding\/","title":{"rendered":"Cronkite News: Millions of Americans lose Medicaid insurance due to &#8216;unwinding&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<div class=\" content_cards_card content_cards_domain_youtu-be\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"content_cards_image\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_image_link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/T0z5RViHr8Q\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/plugins\/content-cards\/skins\/default\/content-cards-placeholder.png\" alt=\" - YouTube\">\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_title\">\n\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_title_link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/T0z5RViHr8Q\">\n\t\t\t &#8211; YouTube\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_description\">\n\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_description_link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/T0z5RViHr8Q\">\n\t\t\t<p>Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_site_name\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/s\/desktop\/2fe123f7\/img\/favicon.ico\" alt=\"youtu.be\" class=\"content_cards_favicon\"\/>\t\tyoutu.be\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">National Indian Health Board: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/T0z5RViHr8Q> Medicaid Unwinding Webinar: Updates and Best Practices for Tribal Enrollment Assisters<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">AHCCCS reaches out to recipients, community to help with Medicaid \u2018unwinding\u2019<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Thursday, October 12, 2023<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Oakley Seiter<\/div>\r\n<DIV class=source>Cronkite News<\/DIV>\r\n<DIV class=source-website><A \r\nhref=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/\">cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nPHOENIX, Arizona &#8212; For the past six months, the nation has been undergoing a Medicaid &#8220;unwinding,&#8221; wherein millions of individuals who were enrolled in Medicaid health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic are being disenrolled because their current income makes them ineligible.<P><\/P>\r\nStates are now removing people from their enrollment systems because the enhanced federal funding that paid for expanding Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic, is ending.<P><\/P>\r\nThe state agency that handles Medicaid payments to Arizona residents is the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). On April 1, AHCCCS began the process of running all 2.5 million Arizonans enrolled on Medicaid through federal databases that verified a certain number of people were still eligible to stay on Medicaid automatically.<P><\/P>\r\nAHCCCS sent renewal forms to those who were not automatically eligible, to either check their information for errors or verify that they are, in fact, over the income limit.<P><\/P>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"flourish-embed\" data-src=\"story\/2051194\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nHeidi Capriotti, communication administrator for AHCCCS, said they have been reevaluating and redetermining the eligibility of enrollees by looking at income and medical criteria, and reaching out to members for additional information if needed.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cAs of September 8 of this year, we have initiated renewals for approximately 1.5 million people, and we have about 1 million people left to go,\u201d Capriotti said.<P><\/P>\r\nCapriotti said the main cause for disenrollments is people not responding when additional information is needed.<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nSo far, 32% of renewals have been approved and 11% have been discontinued.  A third of those who have been disenrolled from Medicaid in Arizona are children.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cPeople need to respond,\u201d Capriotti said. \u201cWe also encourage people to respond even if they think they are no longer eligible. Especially parents because children may be able to move to CHIP, the Children&#8217;s Health Insurance Program (KidsCare), even if parents don&#8217;t meet Medicaid eligibility criteria.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nIn some states, children have been removed from Medicaid coverage because their parents exceeded the adult eligibility limit, even though the children still met the qualifying criteria.<P><\/P>\r\n<div class=\" content_cards_card content_cards_domain_indianz-com\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"content_cards_image\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_image_link\" href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/08\/29\/native-america-calling-big-changes-ahead-for-native-medicaid-recipients\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/20\/departmentofhealthandhumanservices.jpg\" alt=\"Native America Calling: Big changes ahead for Native Medicaid recipients\">\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_title\">\n\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_title_link\" href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/08\/29\/native-america-calling-big-changes-ahead-for-native-medicaid-recipients\/\">\n\t\t\tNative America Calling: Big changes ahead for Native Medicaid recipients\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_description\">\n\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_description_link\" href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/08\/29\/native-america-calling-big-changes-ahead-for-native-medicaid-recipients\/\">\n\t\t\t<p>It&#8217;s called the &#8220;Unwinding.&#8221; Native people will be losing Medicaid coverage, as a pandemic-era safety net is expiring.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_site_name\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/favicon.ico\" alt=\"Indianz.Com\" class=\"content_cards_favicon\"\/>\t\tIndianz.Com\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nOn August  30, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services issued a call to action about these state system issues. According to the agency, \u201cnearly 500,000 children and other individuals who were improperly disenrolled from Medicaid or CHIP will regain their coverage.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nArizona has been evaluating family members on an individual basis. This means that even if a parent doesn&#8217;t meet Medicaid qualifications, their children could still meet the criteria and be transitioned to CHIP.<P><\/P>\r\nMatt Jewett, director of health policy for Children\u2019s Action Alliance, said this approach of automatically renewing eligible children even when their parents are ineligible is the right way to do it.<P><\/P>\r\nAnother call to action came on September 29 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which sent a letter to state health officials reinforcing that states \u201cmust provide 12 months of continuous coverage for children under the age of 19 on Medicaid and the Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beginning January 1, 2024.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/10\/12\/cronkite-news-millions-of-americans-lose-medicaid-insurance-due-to-unwinding\/aca-aok\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-32849\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1250\" data-attachment-id=\"32849\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/10\/12\/cronkite-news-millions-of-americans-lose-medicaid-insurance-due-to-unwinding\/aca-aok\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/13\/PatinaWellnessCenter.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2000,1250\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-title=\"Patina Wellness Center\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Patina Wellness Center&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Nurse Diana Weaselboy performs a checkup at Patina Wellness Center in Phoenix, part of Native American Connections, in this 2019 file photo. (Photo by Ricky Cornish\/Cronkite News)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/13\/PatinaWellnessCenter-1024x640.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/13\/PatinaWellnessCenter.jpg\" alt=\"Patina Wellness Center\"  class=\"size-full wp-image-32849\" \/><\/a> <figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Nurse Diana Weaselboy performs a checkup at Patina Wellness Center in Phoenix, part of Native American Connections, in this 2019 file photo.  Photo by Ricky Cornish \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nAHCCCS is increasing the eligibility limit for CHIP on Nov. 1 and as a result, Jewett predicts  12,000 new kids will be enrolled.<P><\/P>\r\nJewett said if people are over the income limit, AHCCCS sends the application to the health insurance marketplace and someone will reach out to the family about alternative health coverage.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cIf they go over to the health insurance marketplace, they may pay very expensive copays or have high deductibles,\u201d Jewett said. \u201cSo we want to keep them in AHCCCS and get care if possible, but the marketplace is much more affordable than it used to be.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nClaudia Maldonado, director of outreach and enrollment for the nonprofit organization Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers, said she\u2019s witnessed families who lost Medicaid coverage but found affordable alternatives through the marketplace.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cThere&#8217;s a lot going on,\u201d Maldonado said. \u201cSo just the fact that we have a whole community in this state that is dedicated to helping people go through this renewal process or applying for marketplace health insurance is really critical to make sure that we are keeping people enrolled, and most importantly guiding them through these changes.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nShe said her organization\u2019s goal is to keep community members from going without health insurance.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cWe are linking arms with our Medicaid program, all the health plans, and the community at large to help as many people as possible,\u201d Maldonado said.<P><\/P><div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\" data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div><p><\/p>\r\nTo aid in navigating both the Medicaid system and the health care marketplace, the statewide coalition Cover Arizona provides assistance through this <a href=\"https:\/\/coveraz.org\/connector\/\">website<\/a>. It matches individuals based on their ZIP codes with organizations that can offer support in-person or by phone or virtually.<P><\/P>\r\nAn automated communication service called AHCCCS Connect was launched this year to make it easier for Arizonans to find out more information about their enrollment. People can visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthearizonaplus.gov\/Login\/Default\">Health-e-Arizona PLUS<\/a> to sign up for email and text alerts to be notified about their application status, if they were approved or denied, their renewal dates and if any action is needed on their account.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cThe ability to text and email people has really helped the responsiveness. I think that&#8217;s why we&#8217;re seeing, in August, the highest percentage of people remain eligible because they either respond, they&#8217;re automatically determined to be eligible, or they&#8217;re getting the message and responding to our requests for information,\u201d Capriotti said.<P><\/P>\r\n<STRONG>For more stories from Cronkite News, visit <A href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=client\">cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A>.<\/STRONG>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<HR><EM>Note: This story originally <a href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/2023\/10\/09\/arizona-navigates-medicaid-changes-post-covid\/\">appeared on Cronkite News<\/a>.  It  is published via a <A href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative  Commons license<\/A>. Cronkite News is produced by the <A href=\"https:\/\/cronkite.asu.edu\/\">Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication<\/A> at <A href=\"https:\/\/www.asu.edu\">Arizona State University<\/A>.<\/EM><HR>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<div class=\"h4-responsive\">Related Stories<\/div><div class=\"related-story\"><a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/08\/29\/native-america-calling-big-changes-ahead-for-native-medicaid-recipients\/\" title=\"Native America Calling: Big changes ahead for Native Medicaid recipients\">Native America Calling: Big changes ahead for Native Medicaid recipients<\/a> (August 29, 2023)<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For the past six months, the nation has been undergoing an \u201cunwinding,\u201d as millions of Americans who were enrolled in Medicaid during COVID-19 are being disenrolled.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[19,1],"tags":[42,1828,5,46,248,387,102],"class_list":["post-32842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-national","tag-arizona","tag-cms","tag-coronavirus","tag-cronkite-news","tag-hhs","tag-medicaid","tag-youth","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-8xI","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/13\/PatinaWellnessCenter.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32842\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32849"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}