Southwest Austin - Dripping Springs Edition | June 2024

Health care

BY HANNAH NORTON

Over 1M Texas kids cut from Medicaid

Navigating Medicaid cuts Texas accounts for nearly one quarter of the children removed from Medicaid since the "unwinding" process began in April 2023.

Over 2 million Texans have lost health care coverage since the state began reviewing Medicaid eligibility in April 2023—including 1.3 million children. The state- and federally funded program provides health insurance for certain low-income Texans, including children, pregnant and postpar- tum women, people with disabilities, and seniors. The big picture Nearly 74% of the children removed from Texas Medicaid through March 11 were cut for procedural reasons—meaning the state did not have enough information to confirm the child’s eligibility—the Texas Health and Human Services Commission reported. Joan Alker, the executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, said that means the renewal process has broken down in some way and either the renewal letter was lost in the mail or families had trouble completing the paperwork.

Texans are notified at least 10 days before their coverage ends, a HHSC spokesperson said. Texas has removed more children from Medicaid than any other state during the Medicaid “unwind- ing” process, according to a new Georgetown University report. Nationwide, 4.16 million children lost Medicaid coverage from April-December 2023. What they’re saying Dr. Kimberly Avila Edwards, an Austin pediatri- cian, said the impacts of Medicaid unwinding are “painfully visible” to pediatricians every day. “Families are foregoing vital care for their chil- dren and teens for fear of financial devastation. Par- ents are checking in for their child’s appointments, only to learn that child is no longer covered,” said Edwards, who is also a professor at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas. Patients who experience gaps in health coverage are more likely to experience delayed medical care, unmet medical and mental health needs, and

Texas: 24% Florida: 14% Georgia: 7% California: 5% All other states: 50%

4.16M children

SOURCES: GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES, TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, U.S. CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES/COMMUNITY IMPACT

unfilled prescriptions, Edwards said. To appeal a decision about Medicaid coverage, Texans can visit a local eligibility office; call 211 and select option 2; or mail a letter to the Texas health and Human Services Commission, P.O. Box 149027, Austin, TX 78714-9027.

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