Over 100,000 Kansas residents have lost access to Medicaid since April 2023, following the state's eligibility reassessment process after the end of pandemic-era protections.
KanCare, the state's Medicaid program, completed its first review in three years in May, and the outcome has left an estimated 114,000 Kansans without coverage.
The "unwinding" process began in response to the expiration of federal protections on March 31, 2023, which had prevented states from removing individuals from Medicaid during the pandemic.
Enrollment in KanCare surged from 410,000 to 540,000 during the pandemic period, as rules kept people continuously enrolled.
However, once the protections ended, the state launched its review, a task that was initially marred by widespread communication failures and technology issues.
The Kansas Reflector reported that KanCare Director Christine Osterlund addressed the program's oversight committee at a hearing on Tuesday.
Osterlund said the early stages of the review were turbulent, but that the process has since improved with the implementation of enhanced communication methods and a redesigned renewal process.
Call center wait times, which peaked at 24 minutes in April 2023, dropped to under a minute by July this year, the director said. The state also made paperwork more accessible, Osterlund said, significantly reducing the number of unsigned forms by restructuring the renewal packet.
"These are some early results, but I think they're indicative that we're on the right track," Osterlund said.
Newsweek contacted KanCare via email for comment.
In June, it was revealed that 47 percent of Kansans removed from Medicaid were children, and 24,673 were younger than 13.
Kansas is far from alone in grappling with the fallout of Medicaid unwinding. Nationwide, millions have been affected. Virginia, for example, has seen nearly 500,000 residents removed from Medicaid as states nationwide return to pre-pandemic guidelines.
Nationally, more than 20 million Americans were booted from Medicaid due to the new policies, according to health policy research outlet KFF.
The majority, or 69 percent, were removed due to procedural reasons, like a missed deadline or incorrect address as opposed to no longer meeting qualifications.
"This is problematic, as some people who have lost coverage may still be eligible, but experiencing problems with accessing care until they can get re-enrolled," a spokesperson for healthinsurance.org previously told Newsweek.
Chris Fong, CEO of Smile Insurance Group, said those on Medicaid should keep a close eye on their mail and act immediately if they receive notice of the Medicaid renewal process.
"The advice here is to also keep a close eye and carefully read any mail that comes in regarding their Medicaid," Fong previously told Newsweek. "If the letters are confusing there are a lot of helpful resources at local community centers, churches, or even insurance agents like ourselves who can help."
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
