AHIP leads coalition to avoid interruptions to Medicaid coverage

The new coalition, led by insurance group AHIP, is seeking to avoid gaps in coverage for people who could be excluded from Medicaid once states resume redefinition.

As states begin the process of redefining which people are still eligible, the Urban Institute report says that roughly 18 million people could lose access to Medicaid coverage.

This is part of what prompted AHIP to lead the Connecting to Coverage Coalition, which aims to be the single source of trusted information about the Medicaid redefinition process.

The CCC will also work to bring together stakeholders to support information sharing, best practices and solutions so that Americans can enroll in coverage, AHIP said in a statement.

The group added that the CCC will support a “smooth transition” back to regular Medicaid eligibility during the re-eligibility process, connect Americans to resources, and help them connect to insurance coverage through other affordable health insurances, such as individual market or market-based insurance. Employer-provided ACA. coverage or separate coverage under the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Other founding members of the CCC include the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network; Arc of the United States; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; Cancer Support Community; Mental Health America; US Catholic Health Association; Unidos USA; American Board of Benefits; National Association of Benefits and Insurance Specialists; National Association of Community Health Centers; Federation of American Hospitals; American Health Association; Community Plans Association; Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association; and Medicaid Health Plans of America.

WHAT INFLUENCES

Coinciding with CCC’s launch, AHIP released a new Medicaid Redefinition Transitions to Coverage Report that provides an analysis by state where people who are no longer eligible for Medicaid can access coverage. The report summarizes a comprehensive analysis conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago with support from AHIP.

One of the key takeaways is that in almost all states, the majority of people who are no longer eligible for Medicaid will switch to employer-provided (EPC) coverage. The state with the lowest proportion of people who enroll in the EPC is Georgia (48.9%), while the state with the highest proportion of people enrolled in the EPC is Delaware (57.1%).

The data showed that about 3.8 million (21.2%) of people no longer eligible for Medicaid would become uninsured.

The state with the lowest proportion of people who become uninsured is Massachusetts (17.7%), while the state with the highest proportion is South Dakota (26.2%).

Meanwhile, the new CCC website provides Medicaid beneficiaries, health care navigators, health care leaders, community leaders and other stakeholders with information about the Medicaid redefinition process.

BIG TREND

In December, President Biden signed into law a $1.7 trillion comprehensive spending package that details a plan to determine Medicaid coverage.

Under the bill, states will be able to start processing Medicaid re-determinations from April 1, and they will have one year to complete them. According to the American Hospital Association, state Medicaid programs must provide 12 months of uninterrupted coverage for children and allow states to offer 12 months of coverage for postpartum women at all times.

In January, CMS released information about a temporary special registration period under exceptional circumstances from March 31 to July 31.

Marketplaces using the federal platform will give eligible consumers additional flexibility to enroll in coverage during and immediately after the end of the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Waiver Period, CMS said. It starts on April 1st when the states start redefining.

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