Mass Re-Enrollment: Idahoans Regain Medicaid Access

13,000 Idaho residents were reinstated in the Medicaid program after being previously removed for failing to respond to the state’s information request post-pandemic, announced a state official.

After the review of eligibility for 153,000 people suspected of Medicaid ineligibility, Idaho health officials removed 121,000 from the Medicaid rolls in August. They only confirmed that about 45,000 people were actually ineligible, while approximately 77,000 were removed for not responding to the state’s information request, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Deputy Director Jennifer Palagi. (source)

Who qualifies for Medicaid enrollment in Idaho?

Eligible Idaho Medicaid beneficiaries may enroll at any point. The program allows single adults earning $1,677 monthly, or a two-person household earning $2,268 per month to enroll. The income guidelines for various household sizes are available online. For minors, higher income limits apply.

Palagi said that the process of beneficiaries losing their Medicaid coverage and then reenrolling, known as “churn,” is expected to increase as states start to review Medicaid eligibility post-pandemic.

Those who lost Medicaid since April 2023 can enroll in insurance plans on Your Health Idaho, the state’s health insurance exchange, till Nov. 30 in a special open enrollment period. State health insurance exchange policies for 2024 are open till Dec. 15.

Medicaid disenrollment across the U.S.

Since states began Medicaid eligibility evaluations, five million people, including two million children, were removed from the program nationally, says Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families. Idaho has the second-highest Medicaid removal rate at 64%, just behind Texas, according to KFF.

Idaho started Medicaid removal in April after pandemic-era protections were lifted, making it one of only four states to begin the process so early. Idaho began to remove people from Medicaid early and focused on removing those likely ineligible. Currently, Medicaid in Idaho serves about 450,000 people, as stated in its September budget proposal by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Understanding Medicaid disenrollment

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal law prevented states from removing people from Medicaid. The Idaho health department identified around 153,000 people likely to be removed from Medicaid during this time. However, if removed from Medicaid but still eligible, Idaho residents can reapply at any time, and coverage will be reinstated to avoid gaps if reapplication occurs within 90 days after removal. To update your contact information with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, visit idalink.idaho.gov or call 877-456-1233.