Since the end of federal COVID emergency in April, there are now 14,000 fewer Alaskans who are Medicaid-eligible. This figure might rise as the state resumes the eligibility determination procedure, which was put on hold when the national emergency was declared.
Alaskan Public Health Nurse Home Visit (Photo: history)
Thousands Of Alaskans Dropped from Medicaid Due to The End Of Federal COVID Emergency
According to KTOO, Alaskans are losing their insurance coverage as the state’s Health Department works to eliminate the backlog of new Medicaid applications that has built up in its Division of Public Assistance since last year.
The federal government recently informed the Department of Health that it is worried about that rate and how state delays in processing new applications may obstruct equitable access to care and go beyond allotted times for determining whether Medicaid applicants are qualified.
Low-income Americans’ main source of health insurance is Medicaid. State authorities claim that progress is being made, but a backlog in food stamp applications has taken precedence.
State Solutions for The End of Federal COVID Emergency
In order to reduce the number of people who lose coverage because of end of federal COVID emergency, the Department of Health was given authorization by the federal government to postpone rural renewals, according to Etheridge. Due to the fact that rural individuals frequently engage in subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering throughout the summer, the division is processing urban Medicaid renewals first.
The likelihood that someone will get the state’s notice and submit their renewal papers on time is increased if they are at home, answering the phone, and reading their mail.
Alaska takes longer time to process renewals than other states. Most states have a year to complete Medicaid renewals and remove beneficiaries who are no longer eligible. However, a federal extension that permits Alaska 18 months to assess the roughly quarter million persons who are enrolled in Medicaid was made possible in part by the state’s substantial rural population.
READ ALSO: Ensuring Family Security: Try This Option If You Have A Pension!
