"Unwinding" kicks more Arkansans off health insurance coverage
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Another 68,838 residents lost Medicaid coverage in May, in addition to the 72,802 who were kicked off the state and federally funded insurance program in April, the Arkansas Department of Human Services reported Thursday.
State of play: Of the more than 141,000 Medicaid closures over the past two months, about 18% were because recipients made too much money to qualify or requested to no longer receive the benefits.
- Most (66%) failed to return renewal forms or supply other requested information, according to DHS. Others couldn't be found.
What's happening: The state is in the process of a six-month effort to verify that everyone on Medicaid is eligible now that the COVID-19 emergency is over. Act 780 of 2021 requires the state to do this.
- Some recipients who were on Medicaid before the pandemic failed to submit standard forms but kept their coverage during the pandemic and are now required to submit proper documentation, Gavin Lesnick, spokesperson at DHS, told Axios.
Zoom in: The unwinding is affecting the Marshallese community in NWA, who are eligible for Medicaid because of the nation's compact of free association with the Marshall Islands, said Michelle Pedro, policy director and communications specialist for Springdale-based Arkansas Coalition of the Marshallese.
- Still, at least 500 Marshallese people in NWA have not had their coverage renewed because of factors such as failing to fill out forms because of language barriers or confusion from DHS surrounding their eligibility, Pedro said. The coalition has been reaching out in the Marshallese community to help ensure people provide DHS with information they need to renew their coverage.
- "This is life or death for us," Pedro said, adding that she's seen a Marshallese child with a disability lose ARKids coverage, elderly people not refilling medications because they can't afford it, and people with diabetes go without dialysis or insulin.
Details: Some people — about 41% — who lost coverage were on the income-based ARHOME program for ages 19-64.
- Nearly 34% were children and teens on ARKids, followed by about 17% who were taking part in the parent or caretaker relative program, which covers adults who care for minor children in the home and meet income requirements.
- About 5% were covered by the newborn program that covers children under age 1 whose mothers were eligible for state health care at the time of their births.
What's next: Arkansans who are eligible to receive Medicaid benefits but lost coverage because of paperwork troubles have 30-90 days to correct it, depending on their coverage, Lesnick said.