Are You Among the Michiganders Who Lost Medicaid This Summer? Here’s How to Check and What to Do.
This summer, an alarming 80,500 Michigan residents lost their Medicaid coverage in just the month of June. This is due to a national initiative which mandates that everyone enrolled in traditional Medicaid, the Healthy Michigan Plan, or MIChild must reapply within the next nine months. If they don’t, they risk losing their health insurance.
Let’s break down the numbers: If you take the 216,000 Michigan folks set to renew in June, a whopping 37% were removed from Medicaid. This data was shared by the state Department of Health and Human Services. If this rate continues, potentially 1.2 million people in Michigan could lose their health coverage by May 2024. That’s a drop from the 2.4 million enrolled pre-pandemic in February and March 2020, as noted by Lynn Sutfin from the state health department.
Why Did People Lose Coverage in June?
About 81% (or 65,444 individuals) were dropped due to procedural reasons. This means they either missed the paperwork deadline or didn’t provide necessary documents like pay stubs or driver’s license info.
The other 19% lost their coverage for reasons like their income being too high, getting employer-based insurance, or moving out of an eligible household.
Did You Lose Coverage? Here’s What You Can Do:
If you were one of the Michiganders who lost Medicaid because of paperwork issues, you can still get coverage retroactively. If you were disenrolled in June, you have until Oct. 30 to submit the necessary documentation. Meghan Groen, a senior official at the state health department, stated that all you need to do is return the packet with the correct info to get back on the Medicaid program. Even if you miss the Oct. 30 deadline, there’s a chance to reenroll later.
Why Are People Getting Dropped?
This is part of the federal “unwinding of Medicaid” or Medicaid redetermination. For the first time since COVID-19 began, individuals need to reapply to keep their Medicaid insurance. Some might be dropped due to higher incomes or new job-based insurances. Others may have just missed or misunderstood the renewal paperwork.
How to Check and Renew Your Medicaid Plan:
You can find out when your Medicaid plan will renew by visiting michigan.gov/MIBridges. Notices are sent out three months in advance. So if your renewal is in October, you’d have received a letter in August, get the packet in September, and must send it back by October.
Should You Reapply if You Think You’re Ineligible?
Absolutely! Even if you think you’re not eligible, someone in your household might be. Sometimes, you may even qualify for a different health program despite exceeding the income limit for another.
What If You Lose Coverage?
If you no longer qualify, you can learn about other health insurance options through HealthCare.gov. The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services can also assist in finding affordable health insurance. Reach them at 877-999-6442 or Michigan.gov/StayCovered.
Steps to Retain Your Medicaid Coverage:
Keep your contact info updated on michigan.gov/MIBridges or call your local MDHHS office.
Report any household or income changes.
Return your renewal packet on time with necessary proof.
Staying informed and proactive will ensure you maintain the health coverage you need.
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Stay covered, Michigan!.
