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 their health care coverage since the state began reviewing Medicaid eligibility in April 2023. This includes around 1.3 million children—more people than the entire population of Austin. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 6 million Texans had consistent access to health care through Medicaid, as federal regula- tions prohibited states from stripping coverage. 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 rolls 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. Many of these children are likely still eligible for coverage, said Joan Alker, the executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. “This means that the renewal process has broken down in some way,” Alker said May 2. “Perhaps the renewal letter got lost in the mail or a family has trouble completing the paperwork, the state’s computer system is not determining eligibility, ... or the notices the state sends are too complicated to understand, especially for families for whom English may not be the parent’s first language.” Texans are notified at least 10 days before their Medicaid coverage ends, according to an HHSC spokesperson. 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 Texas already had the country’s highest rate of people without health insurance—16.6% of Texans— before Medicaid unwinding began, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. “Because states run Medicaid and [the Children’s Health Insurance Program], the nation’s governors, and to some degree, their legislators, but primarily the governors, are ultimately responsible for how millions of children are faring during this process,” Alker said. 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 unfilled prescriptions, Edwards said. “This in turn exacerbates medical issues and can force families into situations where they must decide whether to pay for out-of-pocket emergency care at the expense of groceries and other necessi- ties,” Edwards said. “Medicaid is not a luxury—it’s a vital program for tens of millions of children, their families and their communities.”
Texas: 24% Florida: 14% Georgia: 7% California: 5% All other states: 50%
4.16M children
There are a variety of state and federal options for Texans without health insurance, including: • 73 federally qualified health centers serving 126 Texas counties, which offer medical care regardless of insurance coverage or a patient’s ability to pay • Texas’ Primary Health Care Program, which provides primary care services at clinics across the state • Healthy Texas Women, which offers free women’s health and family planning services • Local mental and behavioral health authorities, which charge for services based on a patient’s ability to pay • The Texas HIV Medication Program, which helps low-income Texans access medications to treat HIV and related complications To appeal a decision about their 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. To apply for Medicaid and other benefits, submit renewals, respond to requests from the HHSC, and more, Texans can visit www.yourtexasbenefits.com.
SOURCES: GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES, TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, U.S. CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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