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NY officials worry young adults may lose insurance as COVID-era protections end
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Jul 21, 2023
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By
Caroline Lewis
Published Jul 21, 2023
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New York health officials are beginning the process this month of trimming people from Medicaid and other forms of public insurance for which they no longer qualify – generally with the goal of ensuring that anyone whose eligibility has changed is moved onto a different type of health insurance.
Early data shows that most of the New Yorkers flagged in the reviews are taking the necessary steps to prevent any lapse in health coverage, but that young adults may need an extra nudge.
The vetting is part of an unwinding of some COVID-19-inspired safety net protections.
As people lost jobs and income during the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment in Medicaid exploded – from about 6 million people in March 2020 to nearly 8 million this past April, according to state data. This is the first time that members are being asked to actively renew their coverage and prove their eligibility since spring 2020.
This review process also applies to those enrolled in the Essential Plan, which provides similar coverage as Medicaid but has a higher income limit, and Child Health Plus, which covers New Yorkers under 19.
The process is taking place on a rolling basis, starting with those whose coverage was set to expire on June 30. Early data from the state indicates that most of those who have had to renew their coverage so far have done so ahead of the deadline. But renewal rates have so far been lower for young adults.
As of June 30, about 72% of the 558,923 people in this first cohort have either successfully re-enrolled in the same health plan or in another state-sponsored plan, according to the data. But among 18-to-34- year-olds, the figure was 62%.
The data does not capture people who enrolled in an employer health plan or other insurance that is not offered on the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace. So, it’s possible that a greater portion of younger New Yorkers simply gained new employment since the start of the pandemic.
And some people may just be procrastinating. This initial cohort still has until the end of this month to renew their coverage if they haven’t done so already.
We need everyone’s help to ensure that people don’t fall through the cracks.
Amir Bassiri, director of New York’s Medicaid program
But Amir Bassiri, the director of New York’s Medicaid program, raised concerns Thursday that younger New Yorkers may be less aware of the changes underway and experience a lapse in health coverage as a result.
“We need everyone’s help to ensure that people don’t fall through the cracks,” Bassiri said at a conference on Medicaid in Manhattan hosted by the United Hospital Fund.
He added that the state will be targeting more digital advertising about how to renew insurance coverage to younger New Yorkers.
This Medicaid “unwind,” as it’s called among health care providers, is tied to the end of the federal public health emergency around COVID-19 and is taking place nationwide. Bassiri emphasized that the effort is getting off to a better start in New York than in some other states.
The Biden administration recently paused Medicaid disenrollment in about a dozen states because it found people were too frequently being kicked off of their health plans for procedural reasons, such as not receiving the right forms or not understanding the instructions.
New Yorkers on Medicaid, the Essential Plan and Child Health Plus will receive notices in the mail from the state when their deadline to renew coverage is approaching. In doing so, they may be asked to provide certain information about their income, address or family members.
To find out how to re-enroll, visit the New York State of Health website or call 1-800-662-1220.
Tagged
COVID-19
health insurance
Health and Science
medicaid
new york
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis is on the health care beat for WNYC and Gothamist. She has covered COVID, a nurses' strike, the overdose crisis and New York’s marijuana legalization effort, and spent a year investigating patients' medical bills. She always wants to hear about how everyday New Yorkers experience the health system. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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