At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress implemented important measures to ensure that the millions of hardworking Americans, children, older adults, people with disabilities, and veterans relying on Medicaid would not lose their health coverage during the public health emergency (PHE).
Now that the PHE has ended, states are currently reevaluating whether each American enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP is still eligible for the program. The process is called Medicaid redeterminations. Those that have coverage through Medicaid, or children who do, must take action to keep their coverage, or move to another type of health insurance.
The Modern Medicaid Alliance and its partners are working to ensure Medicaid enrollees and their families have the information and resources they need to navigate the redeterminations process.
Assisting Maternal and Child Health Advocates
The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) has been working closely with its members and partner organizations to support Medicaid enrollees.
AMCHP recently hosted webinars with policy experts and federal and state government leaders in Medicaid to discuss the unwinding of the PHE and opportunities for advocates to protect Medicaid coverage gains for mothers and families.
Additionally, AMCHP developed a fact sheet with strategies for maternal and child health professionals to use during redeterminations, including state-specific resources, and public service announcement videos in English and Spanish that provide background for consumers on the redeterminations process and where to seek help.
Providing Resources for School Districts
The School Superintendents Association (AASA) is empowering schools across the country to serve as a resource for families and children impacted by Medicaid redeterminations.
AASA created an unwinding toolkit with a wide range of resources about Medicaid redeterminations and how enrollees can renew coverage for schools and superintendents to share with students and their families.
Items in the toolkit include:
- Email template to send to parents;
- Script for calling parents;
- Social media posts and graphics;
- One-pagers in English and Spanish; and,
- Draft blog + newsletter copy.
Helping Parents and Families Stay Up to Date
The National Service Office (NSO) for Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) has been providing updates and guidance on Medicaid redeterminations to NSO government affairs managers, nursing practice managers, and advocacy team members who work closely with local NFP programs across the nation. NSO staff play an important role in helping local NFP programs help families maintain access to Medicaid coverage and services by:
- Advocating for state policies and processes that meet families’ needs;
- Elevating concerns and issues identified by local programs and families to state officials; and,
- Helping NFP program staff connect to needed state agency tools and information for families to update their contact and eligibility information in a timely fashion.
Aggregating Information and Helpful Resources
In chapters across the country, including California, Massachusetts, Indiana, Illinois, and New Jersey, The Arc is raising awareness among the disability community about the important steps involved in the redeterminations process. These efforts include informational emails to people with disabilities and families, dedicated webpages with links to external resources and assistance hotlines, and informational webinars that discuss the end of Federal Public Health Emergency Funding and what it means for the disability community.
Supporting Managed Care Enrollees
Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) are implementing important programs and services to ensure individuals remain eligible for Medicaid. Notable efforts include:
- Molina Healthcare has developed an online Redetermination Provider Toolkit which contains a list of frequently asked questions and other valuable resources to help providers work with patients to navigate the redetermination process. The toolkit includes state-specific information, ensuring members have access to the resources applicable to their location. Molina is also leading an awareness campaign via text message, email, phone, and social media reminding members to take action.
- Centene is working to provide members and providers with critical information and resources about the redeterminations process and proactively communicating with Medicaid members, with call centers readily available to answer any questions. Additionally, Centene is meeting members where they are in the community, including through efforts like in North Carolina, where its local plan is partnering with schools to help parents and staff be prepared for the redeterminations process.
- AmeriHealth Caritas Florida launched a comprehensive education campaign on the Medicaid redetermination process. The plan is sharing redeterminations information on their social media channels and website, contacting members by email, text message, and phone to offer one-on-one assistance. AmeriHealth Caritas Florida is directing enrollees to trusted resources, such as the Florida Department of Children and Families, and equipping its community partners and providers with educational tools.
- Blue Shield of California has sent out more than 80,000 mailers and made more than 32,000 calls to its members reminding them about the redeterminations process, as part of its multipronged strategy to educate Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The plan has also been working actively with state, local government, community, provider, and advocate partners to increase awareness and support for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. To date, Blue Shield Promise has conducted outreach to more than 1,000 health care providers, medical groups, community organizations, school districts and others in the counties it serves. The California insurer is also working with trusted community partners such as social service agencies and faith-based organizations and using paid and social media channels to raise awareness about the redeterminations process.
The Modern Medicaid Alliance and our partners continue to advocate for a smooth transition back to normal operations for the millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid for affordable, high-quality care.
To learn more about the how to protect Americans during Medicaid redeterminations, check out the Modern Medicaid Alliance’s redeterminations one-pager.