Latest reports from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission show that 500,000 Texans have lost their Medicaid health insurance since April, mostly for procedural or paperwork reasons. Most of those dropped from Medicaid are children.
The Texas Tribune reports that preliminary data paints a “grim picture of Texas’ early efforts” to redetermine Medicaid eligibility for the first time since COVID-19 hit in 2020.
“Advocates say many of the people who lost coverage may actually still be eligible,” writes reporter hey’re calling for the state to pause redeterminations until they can ensure low-income children don’t fall through the newly apparent cracks in the renewal system.”
EHF’s research with The Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University warned of this major concern back in January. The report by Laura Dague found that unless action is taken, conservative estimates show that anywhere from 550,000 to 700,000 Texans would lose their Medicaid health insurance coverage – most of them children.
As hundreds of thousands of Texans scramble to renew Medicaid coverage or find other affordable health insurance options, an important website from Texans Care for Children is providing resources and guidance to families and the organizations that help them.
Staycoveredtx.org provides resources for moms who may lose Medicaid for Pregnant Women coverage because they are no longer eligible and need to transition to another program. It also has important information for parents and caregivers of children who may lose Medicaid coverage because of confusion about the renewal process or because they are no longer eligible and need to transition to another program.
