Medicaid and COVID-19

Before Recess, Congress Contemplates Medicaid

Before the current session of Congress comes to a close, lawmakers may consider a number of Medicaid issues. Among them: The future of Medicaid eligibility for those who enrolled in the program as a result of special provisions introduced in response to COVID-19. The process for reviewing the future eligibility of those currently enrolled in Medicaid. A movement to extend the current, temporary 12 months of postpartum Medicaid eligibility for new mothers and their newborns beyond the end of the current public health emergency. A gradual phasing out of the enhanced federal Medicaid matching funds states currently receive. Learn more [...]

iqtsupport2022-12-07T06:00:25-05:00December 7, 2022|Congress, Medicaid|

How Many Will Lose Medicaid Coverage?

When the COVID-19 public health emergency ends, millions of Americans are expected to lose Medicaid coverage. With the public health emergency winding down, states will be permitted to evaluate recipients’ continued Medicaid eligibility and, in many cases, declare ineligible many who currently are enrolled in the program. But how many people will lose their Medicaid coverage? The National Association of Medicaid Directors summarizes estimates from the Urban Institute, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Department of Health and Human Services on how many people will lose their Medicaid coverage in its blog entry “The Unwinding: Making Sense of Statistics.”

iqtsupport2022-10-12T14:34:14-04:00October 12, 2022|Medicaid|

Recession Taking its Toll on States

State Medicaid programs are feeling the effects of the current recession, according to a new report by the Congressional Research Service. According to the brief report, state Medicaid enrollment and costs have risen since the COVID-19 pandemic began and states expect them to continue rising into their 2021 fiscal years. State efforts to reduce spending are limited by provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provided additional federal Medicaid matching funds to the states to assist them with their Medicaid costs during the COVID-19 pandemic but impose maintenance-of-effort requirements in exchange for continued state access to the enhanced [...]

iqtsupport2020-11-17T06:00:33-05:00November 17, 2020|Congress, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medicaid|

CMS Posts COVID-19 FAQ for State Medicaid and CHIP Agencies

State Medicaid agencies and CHIP programs have received new guidance on the federal resources available to them to fight the COVID-19 national health emergency through a new FAQ published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last week. Among the issues addressed in the FAQ are eligibility, enrollment, benefits, cost sharing, workforce issues, telehealth, and more. Health care providers may find this information useful when serving their patients. See CMS’s news release describing the FAQ here and the FAQ itself here.

iqtsupport2020-03-16T06:00:32-04:00March 16, 2020|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid|