Jacksonville, Florida – A recent survey reveals that nearly a quarter of adults disenrolled from Medicaid since the beginning of 2023 are currently uninsured. The survey, conducted by KFF, examines the impact of Medicaid unwinding on enrollees.
Overall, 19% of adults who were disenrolled from Medicaid in the past year reported being left uninsured. Among this group, 70% experienced a period of being without coverage, while 30% had another form of health insurance.
Interestingly, almost half of those who were disenrolled from Medicaid were able to re-enroll in the program. Additionally, over a quarter of them now have alternative health coverage through sources like employers, Medicare, or the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace.
The survey focuses on adults who had Medicaid coverage in early 2023, just before states began conducting eligibility checks and disenrollments post-pandemic restrictions. Reasons for disenrollment varied from ineligibility to paperwork issues or late submissions.
It was found that one-third of individuals faced difficulties in renewing their coverage, with nearly half describing the process as stressful. The majority of those disenrolled admitted to skipping or delaying healthcare services or prescriptions while attempting to renew their Medicaid coverage.
The research also highlighted that 83% of adults retained their Medicaid coverage or re-enrolled after the unwinding began. Concerningly, 8% are now uninsured, with a higher percentage in states that did not expand Medicaid compared to those that did.
It is evident that there is a considerable variation in enrollment completion by state policies, indicating potential disparities in coverage retention, alternative insurance adoption, and uninsured rates post-unwinding.
The survey further revealed that a significant portion of enrollees who are now uninsured or have alternative insurance express concerns about affording healthcare services. Additionally, challenges during the renewal process, such as long phone wait times and document submission difficulties, were common.
The overall experience with Medicaid among adults prior to the unwinding was rated positively by the majority, with some expressing negative sentiments about the process. Moreover, the survey sheds light on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic-related continuous Medicaid enrollment, revealing significant disenrollments and coverage renewals since its conclusion.