A healthcare worker collects a swab sample from a woman at a COVID-19 testing site in New York, U.S., March 29, 2022.

Wang Ying | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images

At least 1 million people have been kicked off Medicaid since the protections put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic expired in April, That’s according to data released Monday by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The total number of people who started Medicaid is likely higher because only 20 states release the data, according to KFF.

Many people lose Medicaid even though they will likely remain eligible.

Most people who started Medicaid in 11 states lost their coverage because they didn’t complete the paperwork or because authorities couldn’t contact them, according to the KFF report.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a letter to governors Monday that he is deeply concerned that people who remain eligible for Medicaid are losing coverage because of paperwork issues.

Becerra urged governors to do more to ensure people stay enrolled in the program.

“I’m asking that we redouble our efforts, expand what works, and go even further to ensure that no eligible beneficiary experiences a preventable loss in coverage,” Becerra wrote.

Becerra told the governors that he is especially concerned that children will lose their insurance if their parents ditch Medicaid. The secretary said he is concerned that parents may not understand that their children are still eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

“Even if parents think they are no longer eligible, states should ask parents to still fill out renewal forms for their children,” Becerra said. “We also ask that you include messages about Medicaid renewal through schools, early childhood programs and summer camps to parents.”

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The Covid safety net is ending

Congress essentially banned states from removing people from Medicaid coverage during the Covid public health emergency. These protections have led to a historic increase in enrollment in the insurance program, which generally provides coverage to people with lower incomes.

Those protections expired in April after Congress passed a spending bill in December that gave states the green light to begin reviewing people’s eligibility for the first time in years.

Medicaid is administered by the states but heavily funded by the federal government.

States may not terminate a person’s coverage simply because renewal paperwork sent to the address on file is returned undeliverable. Authorities are required to try to contact people during the recovery process through more than one communication method.

Becerra said HHS will use its authority to ensure states comply with those conditions.

HHS estimates that about 15 million people will lose Medicaid coverage as states review eligibility. Many of these people will be eligible for insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace or through an employer.

But 6.8 million people are expected to lose Medicaid coverage even if they remain eligible.

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