By: Nathaniel J. Greene, Bayou Beat News
As the nation inches closer to another crucial election, a quiet but devastating crisis is unfolding across the United States. The “great unwinding” of Medicaid, a program designed to be a lifeline for low-income individuals and families, is causing millions to lose their health coverage—not because they no longer qualify, but due to bureaucratic hurdles and state decisions that disproportionately affect communities of color.
This issue was brought to light during a recent briefing titled “Strengthening Medicaid and Closing the Coverage Gap,” held by Ethnic Media Services on Aug.9. The briefing highlighted how the unwinding process is unraveling years of progress made in expanding healthcare coverage under Medicaid, particularly in states that have chosen not to expand their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
A Broken System Unwinding
Katherine Hempstead, Senior Policy Adviser at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, set the stage by emphasizing the magnitude of the Medicaid program, which currently provides free or low-cost health insurance to over 83 million Americans. However, the end of pandemic-era continuous coverage protections has placed approximately 23 million people at risk of losing their coverage.
Hempstead noted, “The staggering reality is that 69 percent of these individuals have been disenrolled not because they were ineligible, but due to paperwork and procedural technicalities.”
Expanding Medicaid to close the coverage gap is crucial for increasing coverage rates and achieving health equity, particularly in the aftermath of the unwinding. Hempstead highlighted the ongoing struggle, stating, “We’re talking about one big program, but at the same time, we’re talking about 50 different programs, because each state has its own Medicaid agency, leading to a fragmented system that’s failing those who need it most.”
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