Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 11 million people have signed up for Medicaid due to loss of income or other hardship related to COVID-19. But millions of them are at risk of losing it!
What’s going on?
The federal government declared a National Public Health Emergency in 2020 and agreed to pay a larger share of individual states’ Medicaid bills to support with the pandemic.
This allowed states to accept more people and provide better care. But that’s about to end.
States will soon start determining whether millions of people are still eligible for benefits – and without the added federal funding, experts worry they’ll cut corners or get bogged down in all the paperwork.
Even worse?
Many people don’t even know they’re at risk of losing coverage! It was clearly not a main priority to alert and prepare these families for this shocking and potentially devastating change in their benefits.
Everyone should have the right to not only accessible and affordable healthcare, but a government that keeps them a priority.
The expiration of this coverage, and lack of communication, shows clearly how our government chooses to not prioritize the needs of low-income communities.
If you or your loved ones receive Medicaid benefits, make sure you have everything you need prepared for 2022!