Millions of Americans poised to lose Medicaid coverage on April 1
A rule instated during the COVID-19 pandemic that shielded people from losing their Medicaid coverage will expire Friday, NBC News reports, "putting millions of peoples' health insurance coverage at risk."
Previously, Medicaid recipients were required to renew their coverage yearly and would lose their coverage if they no longer qualified. But in 2020, lawmakers passed a rule "that kept people automatically enrolled in the government program, even if they no longer met the requirements for coverage." Up to 15 million people are at risk of losing their health coverage, per an estimate from the nonprofit research organization KFF. The number of people covered by Medicaid has surged by about one-third, "to 85 million as of late last year," since just before the pandemic, The Washington Post writes.
Beginning Saturday, April 1, states will be allowed to begin "unwinding" — "a process by which they will resume their annual Medicaid renewals and unenroll people who are no longer eligible for coverage," NBC News explains. While even the smallest gap in coverage can be "devastating," don't expect "a deluge of people" to lose their insurance immediately, Jennifer Tolbert, the associate director for the program on Medicaid and the uninsured at KFF, told NBC News. The unwinding period is expected to last about a year, as states reassess eligibility and send out renewal or termination notices, although some states will move faster, Tolbert said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Still, health officials and advocates are "bracing for what they say looms as the nation's biggest health-insurance disruption since the Affordable Care Act came into existence more than a decade ago," the Post says. A recent Department of Health and Human Services analysis predicts that 15 million people will lose Medicaid, and "an estimated 6.8 million of those beneficiaries will be removed even though they still are eligible," the outlet summarizes.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
The importance of discussing and dealing with debt
The Explainer Increasing numbers of people have 'problem debt' – but there are ways to tackle it
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
'Trump heavy on retribution, light on cash'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: March 19, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Narcan is becoming harder to find at drugstores across America
Under the Radar The drug, also known as naloxone, reverses the effects of an opioid overdose
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The hollow classroom
Opinion Remote school let kids down. It will take much more than extra tutoring for kids to recover.
By Mark Gimein Published
-
What to say to someone who has cancer
The Explainer Saying something is better than nothing but there are some things to avoid too
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Syphilis cases are on the rise in the US
The explainer The STI is spiking in all demographics
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Excess screen time is making children only see what is in front of them
Under the radar The future is looking blurry. And very nearsighted.
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Black mothers at risk: inside the maternal mortality crisis
In Depth Childbirth can be deadly
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Workplace wellness programmes: a waste of time and money?
Talking Point Global corporate industry is booming but positive impact on staff well-being is debatable
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Covid-19: what to know about UK's new Juno and Pirola variants
in depth Rapidly spreading new JN.1 strain is 'yet another reminder that the pandemic is far from over'
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published