HHS Reminds States of Civil Rights Obligations During Unwinding

On April 4, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a letter reminding states (and other entities subject to federal civil rights laws) of their obligations at the end of the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement with respect to: (1) providing equal access for communities of color and language access for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP); and (2) ensuring effective communication with individuals with disabilities. The letter also highlights best practices (starting on page 5) to ensure that people of color and individuals with LEP or disabilities are not disenrolled during unwinding as a result of ineffective communications and provides a compendium of resources (starting on page 8) to support state efforts.