Hello, Rapp Up! Readers. In this edition we bring you timely news you can use (or perhaps someone you know needs this information). Because of cuts made by Congress, and some states, to MEDICAID and CHIP (the Children’s Health Insurance Program), many people will be shocked to learn that they are losing their health coverage. Our guest contributor, Robert Burney, explains what is happening, what it means, and what can be done. So read on.

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By Robert Burney, guest contributor

The pandemic is officially over. That’s the good news and the bad news. It’s good, because it means we can begin to put our lives back together, get out of the house and associate with other people. But it’s bad, because it means the Family First Coronavirus Response Act is also over. Automatic continuous enrollment in MEDICAID and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) is no longer required and states are free to enforce stricter requirements to qualify for those programs.

One in four rural residents is covered by MEDICAID and 45% of children in rural areas are under either MEDICAID or CHIP

MEDICAID is the single largest source for health insurance in the U.S., so this is not a small issue! A positive result of the expansion of MEDICAID in recent years is that the percentage of uninsured Americans fell to an all-time low of 8%. However, experts predict that, given in part the tighter restrictions now being applied to these programs (especially in some states), the number of uninsured Americans will likely rise by a quarter in coming years.

Still eligible but losing coverage anyway?

Tragically, some families who are still eligible for these insurance programs may be denied coverage anyway. Why? A major problem is that they may not receive or recognize the notice to reapply and therefore fail to complete the new application. Or the parents may lose coverage but not realize that their children might still qualify for CHIP and therefore fail to apply. Or they might simply not know how to navigate the bureaucracy in order to get their application approved.

What can we do?  

In this country, access to healthcare demands health insurance of some sort. Those at greatest risk are people living close to the poverty line. When the rules change, someone loses.

Of course at the local level, we have no control over the rules. However, we do have the ability to at least ensure that no one loses out because of a fixable problem, like paperwork. We should encourage schools, libraries, food pantries, thrift shops, and health clinics to spread the word among those who have been on MEDICAID or CHIP to make sure their contact information is correct and to respond promptly to a request for a registration form. We can also press the State of Virginia to utilize other sources of information to determine MEDICAID eligibility so the patient does not need to file a new form. The State could also continue the policy of Continuous Enrollment for children.

Last but not least, we have an election coming up. Every voter can demand that any politician who asks for their vote pledge to maintain essential programs, like MEDICARE, MEDICAID, and CHIP.

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