Millions of Americans will lose Medicaid coverage in the coming months, forcing them into uncharted territory: the health insurance marketplace.
States will begin removing people from government-funded plans when they no longer qualify based on income, resuming a process that was halted shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
End Of Medicaid Benefits
Medicaid, which is funded by the government and focuses on low-income people, covers about 85 million people.
The federal government prohibited states from pulling people off Medicaid if they were no longer eligible at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This ban will be lifted this spring, and many Medicaid recipients will be exposed for the first time to the so-called redetermination process.
States are already confirming eligibility, with most expecting to stop covering ineligible people in May, June, and July.
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Where To Get New Coverage?
Millions of Americans will lose Medicaid coverage in the coming months, forcing them into uncharted territory: the health insurance marketplaceThe federal Affordable Care Act’s state health insurance markets are the only sites where people can buy individual insurance with the support of an income-based subsidy. They are accessible via the federal government’s healthcare.gov website.
You can also discover coverage sold outside of these marketplaces, but this is dangerous. The cost of any new plan should be one of the first considerations.
Shoppers can receive income-based subsidies to help pay the monthly premiums for plans purchased through state marketplaces. During the pandemic, these subsidies were increased.
Check that your state program has your current contact information, including a mailing address, email address, and cellphone number. They will notify you if they require additional information or if you are no longer eligible for Medicaid.
Begin looking for other insurance before Medicaid expires. People should give themselves plenty of time to consider their options.
The goal should be to get replacement insurance starting the day Medicaid expires. This would reduce the number of temporary coverage gaps for regular doctors or critical medications.
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