The state has launched an ad campaign to raise awareness of Medicaid eligibility redetermination.
ATLANTA – Nearly 100,000 Georgians have lost Medicaid coverage since the federal public health emergency brought on by the pandemic expired in April, the state Department of Community Health (DCH) reported Thursday.
The federal government prohibited disenrolling any Medicaid recipients for three years after COVID-19 struck the nation in March 2020. With the public health emergency at an end, states began a year-long process of reassessing eligibility for those on Medicaid this spring.
Georgia began processing renewal applications for 216,991 Georgians in June for Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids. At the close of the month, 64,423 of these Georgians were renewed while 95,578 lost coverage.
Nearly 57,000 renewal applications remain pending and will retain coverage while those recipients’ eligibility is determined.
The vast majority of those who lost coverage – 89,168 – were procedurally terminated due to lack of information received by the DCH to make an eligibility determination.
In April, the state agency estimated that about half a million Georgians were newly enrolled in Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids during the pandemic, bringing the total number of enrollees to about 2.7 million, about a quarter of the state’s population.
The state was able to automatically renew 50,607 Georgia Medicaid enrollees last month by using available data on those recipients, including data from programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – commonly known as food stamps – or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Those who could not be renewed automatically received renewal packets from the DCH. As of June 30, the agency had received more than 46,000 completed packets.
The state also contacted affected Medicaid enrollees through other means, including phone calls and text messages at 30 and 15 days before their “redetermination” deadline.
Working with other state agencies, the DCH launched a statewide public information campaign including TV and radio ads in English and Spanish, social media outreach, digital advertising, bus shelter signs, billboards, and media outreach.
The DCH plans to complete the redetermination process for all of Georgia’s Medicaid enrollees by the end of May 2024.
However, the State has data that over 20,000 of the individuals procedurally terminated would no longer have
been eligible due to increased income, aging out of coverage, moving out of state, or other factors.
The Medicaid redetermination process is the result of Congress passing a December 2022 federal spending
bill officially requiring all states to review Medicaid and CHIP eligibility between April 2023 and May 2024.
Ex Parte Renewals: The State was able to automatically renew 50,607 of the individuals with June renewal
dates through the ex parte process of using the members’ available data, including data from programs such
as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
This process requires no action from members and these members did not receive a renewal packet.
Pre-Populated Form Renewals: For those who were not automatically renewed, Georgia sent
redetermination packets to 169,442 individuals in May. These individuals had until the end of June to provide
the State with updated information to retain their coverage. As of June 30, the State received over 46,000
completed packets.
The Georgia Department of Human Services sends all Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® members a renewal
notice via mail and/or electronic method based on an individual’s preference about 45 days before their
redetermination deadline. Individuals also receive a reminder letter 15 days before their redetermination
deadline. The State has also undertaken efforts to contact individuals through other means, including phone
calls and SMS text messages at 30 and 15 days before their redetermination deadline. Care Management
Organizations (CMOs) are also partnering with the State to conduct additional outreach. Any individual who
had their renewal packet returned to the State due to a bad address is held as pending until additional
outreach can be completed.
In addition to these ongoing efforts, since September 2022, the Georgia Department of Community Health,
Georgia Department of Human Services, and State of Georgia partners have been working to educate and
mobilize Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® members through a statewide public information campaign that
includes TV and radio ads in English and Spanish, social media outreach, digital advertising, bus shelter
signage, billboards, media outreach, regular partner briefings, informational videos, and resources in seven
languages.
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Continuity of Coverage: Medicaid coverage continues while renewals are processed, even if processing
continues beyond the renewal date. Members can submit updated proof of eligibility up to 90 days after their
termination date. If they are determined eligible, their coverage will be retroactively reinstated.
Members who feel they have been denied due to incorrect information, or for another reason, can appeal a
denial up to 30 days after they receive their redetermination decision and elect to retain their coverage during
the appeals process.
Unwinding To Date: Since the beginning of the Medicaid redetermination process in April 2023,
approximately 71,000 Georgians have renewed Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids® coverage. Nearly 63,000
individuals have pending decisions and will retain coverage while their eligibility is determined.
More information on all options available to members can be found on the State’s official microsite for Medicaid
redetermination www.staycovered.ga.gov.