States of Unwinding: March 29, 2024
After a year of unwinding the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement, states continue to work through the redetermination of individuals who retained coverage during the pandemic period. One state, Arizona, announced that as of March it will have initiated renewals for all 2.5 million individuals enrolled in Medicaid at the end of the continuous coverage requirement.
States continue to partner with other stakeholders to outreach to enrollees up for renewal, as in Georgia which hosted an in-person event. Other communication and outreach examples include Massachusetts, where Medicaid and the Marketplace co-hosted an info session for employers on unwinding. To support transitions to the Marketplace for individuals who have lost Medicaid coverage, New Jersey is extending the unwinding special enrollment period. As a reminder, SHVS continues to add materials to our one-stop resource page designed to support states as they plan for and implement unwinding.
Outreach Partnerships With Other Stakeholders
Georgia hosted a fair for expecting and postpartum individuals. The Georgia Department of Human Services and HOPE for Georgia Moms sponsored the “Bump & Beyond Maternal Health Fair,” an opportunity for expectant and recently-delivered parents and their families to bring their Medicaid/PeachCare for Kids paperwork to receive assistance and support in completing renewal forms. The fair also included free health services such as mobile primary healthcare and dental clinics, samples of products like diapers, wipes, formula, and more.
Medicaid and Marketplace Communication and Outreach Efforts
Massachusetts’ Medicaid and Marketplace jointly hosted an info session for employers. On March 13, 2024 MassHealth and the Massachusetts Health Connector held an informational briefing for Massachusetts employers who may have employees currently enrolled in MassHealth coverage and may be impacted by the ongoing redetermination process. The webinar was aimed at helping employers understand the unwinding process and what steps they may need to take to help ensure their employees continue to have access to health coverage.
Implementation of Individual Ex Parte
Minnesota will implement individual ex parte in June 2024 into its Medicaid eligibility system. The Department of Human Services (DHS) published a bulletin on the implementation of individual level ex parte within the Minnesota Eligibility Technology System. Since November 2023, following CMS’ announcement that states must conduct Medicaid ex parte renewals at the individual rather than the household level, DHS has had in place a series of temporary steps to renew eligibility at an individual level.
Supporting Transitions to Marketplace Coverage
New Jersey extends the special enrollment period for individuals losing Medicaid coverage. New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Acting Commissioner Justin Zimmerman announced an expanded special enrollment period. All qualified individuals who lose Medicaid coverage between March 31, 2023 and July 31, 2024 who submit a new application or update an existing application for coverage through Get Covered New Jersey and attest that they have lost coverage between the same time period, are eligible for the expanded special enrollment period (SEP). Consumers will not be required to submit documentation for this qualifying life event to receive the SEP.
Making Information About Unwinding Public
Arizona will have initiated renewals for all individuals enrolled as of March 30, 2023. With the publication of its monthly Medicaid renewal data dashboard on March 5, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System announced that it will have initiated renewals for all 2.5 million members who were enrolled when the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement ended. To date, 67% of the 2.5 million enrollees have maintained coverage, 20% have been disenrolled, and 13% are still in process.