A study found that Black and Hispanic people are twice as likely to lose Medicaid coverage compared to white people due to paperwork problems after the pandemic rules ended.
Study Finds Racial Gaps in Medicaid Losses After Pandemic
According to the published article in The Latin Times, a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that Black and Hispanic people are losing Medicaid coverage more often than white people after the pandemic. The research by Oregon Health & Science University, Northwestern University, and Harvard Medical School found that these groups are twice as likely to lose their insurance because of paperwork problems. This issue arose after states started checking Medicaid eligibility again when the special rules ended on March 31, 2023.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicaid coverage grew a lot, helping 94 million people. But since the special rules ended, about 10 million have lost their Medicaid coverage. The study, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, warns that up to 18 million people might lose Medicaid by May 2024. Many of these people, especially Black and Hispanic individuals, are losing coverage because of complicated rules and processes.
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18 Million Americans at Risk of Losing Medicaid Coverage through May 2024: Study Reveals Alarming Racial Disparities – Check It Out! (PHOTO: OHSU News)
Dr. Jane M. Zhu Calls for Simplified Medicaid Processes to Protect Vulnerable Groups from Losing Coverage
Furthermore, Dr. Jane M. Zhu, one of the study’s authors, said that keeping Medicaid coverage is hard because of all the paperwork. The researchers are asking for changes to make it easier for people to stay enrolled. They suggest better reporting of race and ethnicity data, simpler procedures, more help with renewals, and quicker checks for those who probably don’t qualify. Dr. Zhu said these changes should be easy to make and could help protect vulnerable groups from losing their Medicaid.
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