States of Unwinding: July 21, 2023
An increasing number of states are publishing data on the progress of unwinding. As our interactive map shows, 34 states and the District of Columbia have publicized unwinding data in some format. States are using the publication of unwinding data as an opportunity to explain how unwinding is proceeding in their state. Several states, such as Arizona and Maryland, are highlighting the number of enrollees whose eligibility was automatically renewed through ex parte while Indiana is publishing reports with the number of individuals disenrolled by county.
State Medicaid agencies remain focused on communicating to enrollees and conducting outreach to alert members of the need to return their renewal forms. The District of Columbia outlined specific outreach initiatives for elderly, disabled and homeless Medicaid enrollees while Wyoming is reminding individuals who receive waiver services that they too need to return renewal forms.
Finally, as states finalized their budgets for the fiscal year that started July 1, two states (Georgia and Minnesota) allocated additional funding for unwinding. As a reminder, SHVS has created a one-stop resource page to support states as they plan for and implement unwinding.
Investing Resources: Allocating Additional Funding
Minnesota allocated $36 million to fund unwinding. Included in the state’s recently passed budget is one-time funding to support unwinding of the Medicaid continuous coverage. The Minnesota Department of Human Services will provide $36 million to counties and the White Earth tribe (the only tribe in the state processing Medicaid redeterminations) to support the redetermination process. The funds will cover costs such as addressing health disparities, hiring and training staff, paying overtime and reaching out to enrollees.
Georgia’s budget includes funding for additional Medicaid eligibility caseworkers. The state appropriated $11.1 million in state general funds to hire 300 additional Medicaid eligibility caseworkers to support the state’s Medicaid unwinding process.
Medicaid Communication and Outreach Efforts
Arizona’s live chat feature has been used by 2,000 members to update contact information. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) launched a chatbot in June that makes it easy for members to update their contact information. The chatbot can process address changes directly through the chat, in English and Spanish, such that members do not have to log into their accounts. Since launching at the end of June, more than 2,000 AHCCCS members have successfully updated their contact information in the chatbot in less than three minutes, on average.
D.C. is conducting dedicated outreach to specific populations. During a bi-weekly Medicaid renewal community meeting, the District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) shared that they are conducting dedicated outreach to special populations, including senior enrollees, enrollees living with disabilities, and enrollees experiencing homelessness. Seniors are able to access in-person assistance at Senior Wellness Centers and 40 plus community dining sites across the District. To reach enrollees experiencing homelessness, DHCF is meeting with outreach staff, shelter case workers, and adult day centers that work with enrollees experiencing homelessness to ensure they are prepared to spread the word and assist enrollees with completing their renewals.
Hawaii has a page dedicated to unwinding with resources in multiple languages. The page on the Med-QUEST Division’s website organizes materials across six tabs: frequently asked questions; press releases; videos; toolkit; letters and notices; and data and reports. The toolkit tab includes infographics, social graphics with captions in multiple languages, and other communication materials such as posters and brochures. The frequently asked questions are also translated into 19 languages.
Minnesota has sent over 92,000 text messages to enrollees. The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced that efforts to reach enrollees regarding Medicaid unwinding have so far included over 92,000 text messages and 290,000 paper notices through the mail. Partners are also reaching out through direct phone calls, texts, emails and in-person contacts in some locations.
Wyoming is reminding enrollees who receive waiver services to return their renewal forms. The Wyoming Department of Health is reminding Medicaid enrollees, family members, providers and case managers that services provided to certain populations through waiver programs are part of Wyoming Medicaid and individuals need to return their renewal forms to avoid loss of coverage.
Marketplace Communication and Outreach Efforts
Minnesota’s Marketplace is reminding individuals to check their coverage options. MNsure, the state’s official health insurance Marketplace, issued a press release informing individuals who lose Medicaid coverage to check their options through MNsure. MNsure is also warning individuals to be aware of scams targeting Minnesotans who need to purchase health insurance coverage.
Making Information About Unwinding Public
Arizona reported a 67% ex parte renewal rate for June. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) released its monthly Medicaid renewal data dashboard detailing progress since the regular renewal process began in April. In the month of June, 67% of the renewals initiated were automatically determined to be eligible to maintain AHCCCS coverage. Approximately 25% of all individuals who have been disenrolled for not responding to AHCCCS have taken advantage of the 90-day window to finish their renewal.
Arkansas released data for June. The Arkansas Department of Human Services released its June report on Medicaid unwinding. In June, more than 50,000 cases were renewed after eligibility was confirmed, and approximately 77,000 enrollees were disenrolled.
D.C. published redetermination data for May and announced a 30-day extension for non-MAGI enrollees. The District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) announced that 3,000 Medicaid members were disenrolled following May redeterminations. Of these, fewer than 100 were determined ineligible and the remaining 2,900 did not reply and were procedurally disenrolled. DHCF also announced a 30-day extension for the recertification of non-MAGI enrollees with June and July end dates, in response to current non-MAGI renewal rates.
Idaho is posting weekly unwinding reports. The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare continues to post weekly updated unwinding data. As of July 17, the state has processed renewals for 116,212 Medicaid enrollees, of which 28,145 were determined eligible and 88,067 were determined ineligible.
Indiana published unwinding data for April and May. The Department of Family and Social Services Administration released two unwinding reports for the months of April and May. The reports include total redeterminations for each of the two months, and disenrollment data stratified by ethnicity, race and age group as well as by program enrollment type and county.
Maryland released data for June. The Maryland Department of Health announced that 28,694 individuals were disenrolled from Medicaid in June: 17,075 were disenrolled for procedural reasons while 11,619 were disenrolled because they are no longer eligible for coverage. Of the 98,630 individuals whose eligibility was renewed, 53.5% had their eligibility auto-renewed.
Michigan launched a public dashboard. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) unveiled a public online dashboard where MDHHS will publish monthly Medicaid renewal data. As of July 6, the state announced it renewed Medicaid coverage for 103,540 people. Of the total, 30,456 renewals were of enrollees who submitted their paperwork while the remaining 73,084 individuals were renewed through the ex parte process.
Mississippi posted its June unwinding submission to CMS. The Mississippi Division of Medicaid posted the unwinding report it submitted to CMS for June 2023 and announced that approximately 56% of the enrollees in the June review month retained coverage. Of the more than 29,000 who were disenrolled, at least 60% were individuals whose coverage had previously been extended because of the special eligibility rules during the public health emergency.
New Jersey released their first month of unwinding data. The New Jersey Department of Human Services released an unwinding report that shows at the end of May, approximately 333,000 members had their renewals initiated. Approximately 48,000 members for whom a renewal was initiated were automatically renewed.
New York launched their unwinding dashboard. The New York State Department of Health released the first issue of New York’s Public Health Emergency Unwind Dashboard, a monthly report reflecting data on renewal status, demographics, and program transitions for public health insurance enrollees. The report indicates that roughly 72 percent of New Yorkers enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus or the Essential Plan renewed their coverage before the June deadline to re-enroll.
Oregon released data on eligibility redeterminations. The Oregon Health Authority announced its latest Medicaid renewal data, which shows that of the individuals who have come up for renewal since April, 419,663 people were fully renewed; 39,610 individuals were found ineligible; 11,027 members had a reduction in benefits; and 48,859 are processing. The state is currently awaiting responses from 23,994 members. The state has begun terminating individuals who they can confirm are no longer eligible but will not terminate any enrollee for procedural reasons until October.
Wisconsin published a webpage with data on unwinding. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services launched a new webpage showing statewide data in BadgerCare Plus and Wisconsin Medicaid enrollment following the end of the continuous coverage requirement. The data on the new webpage show that in June 2023, 99,037 members of Wisconsin’s health care programs were due to renew their coverage and 61,057 members took some action to initiate the renewal process.