Payers, Medicaid Officials Ask Congress for 90-Day Glide Path to End of COVID-19 Emergency

Several major payer groups and Medicaid advocates are pressing Congress for a 90-day heads up when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends, arguing they need as much time as possible to make Medicaid enrollees aware they could lose coverage.

State Medicaid officials and payers have been bracing for months on how to handle the coming wave of redeterminations. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said back in September 2021 that the center is working to help ensure that people who drop off Medicaid can get coverage on the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges.

How the redeterminations are handled could also affect coverage for millions of people. A study from the Urban Institute last year estimated that 15 million people could lose Medicaid insurance coverage after the end of the PHE. The think tank said states should be working hard to reach out to affected beneficiaries about other coverage options.

The current PHE ends in April and can be extended for another 90 days.

Source: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/payers-medicaid-officials-ask-congress-90-day-glidepath-end-covid-19-emergency