Americans who qualify for Medicare, Medicaid must re-enroll to ensure savings

WASHINGTON, (Nexstar) – Each year, Americans must renew their health insurance plans, but some could miss out on savings or lose health coverage altogether if you don't take action.

With open enrollment for Medicare and Medicaid underway, officials say it's especially important for Medicaid recipients to ensure they still qualify.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said that during the pandemic, people were automatically re-enrolled in Medicaid. But now, even those who still qualify need to re-enroll.

"A lot of folks aren't realizing they have to reapply," Becerra said. "We don't want them to lose their insurance under Medicaid if they still qualify."

If someone learns they no longer qualify, Becerra said it's likely they will be eligible for a lost-cost, Affordable Care Act plan.

"Where they're paying no more than $10 a month in premiums," he said.

Existing Medicare recipients will be automatically re-enrolled. But Dr. Meena Seshamani, the director of the Center for Medicare, said that if people don't compare plans on medicare.gov, they "could miss out on saving money or getting better healthcare."

Recently passed laws also mean additional savings for seniors through Medicare prescription plans.

"Starting Jan. 1, 2024 for people who have high cost drugs, when you hit that high cost phase you no longer pay anything out of pocket," Seshamani said.