Many states working to ensure continued access to Medicaid as disenrollments are set to begin

According to a new Kaiser Family Foundation survey, states are responding differently to the impending expiration of Medicaid disenrollment policies first instituted during the pandemic, with many working to ensure eligible enrollees can keep their coverage.

On March 31st, policies first implemented in March of 2020 ensuring continuous coverage access for Medicaid enrollees will expire, and states will once again be able to disenroll participants. Enrollment in Medicaid has grown by as much as 23.3 million, partly as a result of these policies, per KFF, but now analysts are expecting a drop in enrollment and subsequent rise in uninsurance.

To analyze these trends, KFF conducted a survey alongside the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, asking states about their plans to manage the return to Medicaid disenrollments. According to the data, some 43 states will likely take 12-14 months to process renewals, an extended timeframe that may mitigate the risk of participants being disenrolled due to administrative issues or accessibility concerns rather than a true lack of eligibility, according to the KFF report.