Many Kentuckians could face medical crisis soon

They will give states up to 12 months to begin renewals for all enrollees.

Tens of thousands of Kentuckians who have benefitted from continuous health coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic are about to be faced with a decision about where to get health coverage, according to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

In March 2020, as part of COVID-19 relief legislation, the federal government provided increased Medicaid funding to states to help with increased costs associated with testing and treating patient with COVID-19. It required states to keep eligible individuals enrolled in Medicaid until the public health emergency, also referred to as the PHE, comes to an end. 

The action by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, kept 187,000 Kentuckians from losing their Medicaid coverage. During the PHE, Medicaid could not terminate someone’s coverage unless they asked to be disenrolled, moved out of state or passed away. 

Actions that were intended to help during uncertain times are expected to come to an end in the coming months and could mean changes for some Medicaid enrollees.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will give states a 60-day notice, letting them know when the PHE will end. At that point, steps will be taken to “unwind” the changes that were made to ensure individuals kept health care coverage and begin the normal process for reviewing enrollees’ eligibility for Medicaid.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, won’t flip a switch and terminate Kentuckians immediately. They will give states up to 12 months to begin renewals for all enrollees. And CMS is protecting consumers by not allowing states to take negative action based on older information the state may have obtained during the public health emergency.

CHFS says Kentuckians should get ready now to renew with these steps:

--Make sure your contact information is up to date.

--Check your mail for a letter.

--Complete your renewal form by mail, upload to a smart phone or get help at https://kynect.ky.gov.

Governor Andy Beshear said, “Thousands of Kentuckians, including those who are still eligible for Medicaid, could lose coverage or become uninsured or experience gaps in coverage. We will do everything possible to make sure people who get Medicaid benefits know what to do, when to do it, or where to get help if they want help doing it.”