Florida saw a significant increase in the number of individuals and families on Medicaid during the federal public health emergency (PHE) that was initiated during the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic.
In March 2020, there were 3.8 million enrollees. In November 2022, there were 5.5 million enrollees.
This spring, the Department of Children and Families began reviewing those 5.5 million enrollees for eligibility as the PHE’s continuous Medicaid coverage provision ended.
And of the 250,000 Floridians who have seen their coverage terminated since the unwind began, 82% had their cases closed for procedural reasons, not necessarily because they were no longer eligible for Medicaid.
To make a bad situation worse, WUSF reported last week that Florida is one of two states declining federal waivers to help with Medicaid unwinding.
The waivers allow states to do things like automatically renew people who appear to have no or very little income, partner with Medicaid managed care plans to assist people with completing renewal forms, or delay administrative terminations for one month while the state conducts additional outreach.
This gives families more time to understand what steps they need to take to renew coverage, and also reduces the amount of resources states have to spend tracking down enrollees who are likely still eligible for coverage.
But instead of pursuing these programs, Florida’s GOP leaders have decided to kick people and children off Medicaid instead, even if done incorrectly.
Myself and other advocates have asked the state to pause all Medicaid unwinding, until we can put into place a new system that ensures no Floridian is wrongfully removed. Of course those requests have been ignored, but we will keep fighting to help everyday people maintain access to care.