Between 35,000 and 90,000 Nebraskans are at risk of losing Medicaid starting in the spring. In January, Congress passed a 1.7 trillion spending bill, but the bill could mean changes to some Medicaid recipients. The change in the Medicaid program comes as the federal government works to roll back pandemic protections. Congress had previously barred states from kicking people off Medicaid due to the Pandemic but that is changing soon. The state of Nebraska has a plan but health advocates say many in Nebraska could still lose coverage.
Today, more than 380,000 Nebraskans are currently enrolled in Medicaid. As of April 1st, states can “unwind” the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement. Unwinding refers to the process of reviewing the eligibility of every person enrolled in Medicaid in the state to determine if they are still eligible. States have 12 months to initiate eligibility reviews of all their enrollees and can start reviews as soon as February. Nebraska will start their review process on March 1st and will check things like income level to see if individuals are still eligible. If not, those individuals will be notified via mail that they are losing coverage. The Enrollees have at least 30 days to complete and return renewal forms to the state. People who don’t complete and return the renewal form could lose coverage.
Health Center Association of Nebraska is urging people enrolled in Medicaid to make sure their contact information is up to date on their accounts and that they check their mail frequently. All Nebraska Federally Qualified Health Centers, also known as community health centers, provide free assistance through trained and certified enrollment specialists and are ready to help any consumers needing assistance. They can update contact information for an enrollee and even help them to take the steps to keep coverage. The Navigator enrollment specialists can also help find a health plan if the enrollee is no longer eligible. To find a health center Navigator, go to www.howtogetcare.org.
