Mohave County residents at risk of losing Medicaid coverage

BULLHEAD CITY — About 21,000 Mohave County residents enrolled in Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System programs are at risk of losing coverage.

Beginning April 1, AHCCCS will begin removing enrollees determined to be no longer eligible for Medicaid, said Heidi Capriotti, AHCCCS public information officer. More than 87,000 people in Mohave County are enrolled in AHCCCS programs.

In 2020, the federal government declared a public health emergency, barring states from removing Medicaid enrollees even if their eligibility changed. In December, Congress passed legislation ending the Medicaid continuous enrollment and allowing AHCCCS to reverify the eligibility status of all members enrolled in AHCCCS and KidsCare (Arizona’s Children’s Health Insurance Program).

The renewal process includes tribal members in the American Indian Health Program and Fee-for-Service, including Federal Emergency Services enrollees. AHCCCS and the Arizona Department of Child Safety will update all information for children and youth in state foster care.

AHCCCS estimates more than 600,000 of the 2.5 million Arizonans currently enrolled are at risk of losing coverage. About half those will be ineligible for renewal because of a change in financial status or because they failed to respond to the state’s requests for renewal information, Capriotti said.

Nationally, about 8.2 million enrollees will leave Medicaid due to loss of eligibility and 6.8 million will lose Medicaid coverage despite still being eligible, according to a brief from U.S. Office of Health Policy. Children and young adults will be disproportionately impacted with 5.3 million children and 4.7 million adults aged 18-34 forecast to lose Medicaid/CHIP coverage.

Over the next 12 months as renewals come due, AHCCCS will attempt to determine eligibility automatically, Capriotti said. Enrollees whose renewal can't be determined automatically will receive from AHCCCS a written request for more information and must reply within 30 days.

Renewal dates are often based on the month of first enrollment, but AHCCCS may align renewal dates for household members or with Nutritional Assistance (SNAP) renewal dates.

For those whose eligibility is continued automatically, estimated at about 75% of enrollees, AHCCCS will issue a letter that says, “If the information on the summary is correct, you do not need to do anything. You do not need to call or contact AHCCCS.”

The agency is urging all AHCCCS members to verify current mailing address, phone number and email address on file in www.healthearizonaplus.gov or by calling Health-e-Arizona Plus at 1-855-432-7587. Enrollees should respond as soon as possible to any requests from AHCCCS for more information to determine eligibility.

For those who are no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, AHCCCS will send notification of when enrollment will end and information on how to appeal the decision. AHCCCS will also send information on coverage options through Healthcare.gov. The healthcare marketplace is offering an extended enrollment period from March 31, 2023 through July 31, 2024 for anyone who loses Medicaid at any time during that window.

For assistance, members can contact their health plan or find a benefits community assister organization on healthearizonaplus.gov. Those age 65 and over who did not sign up for Medicare or Medicare Part D due to AHCCCS coverage should contact Social Security Administration Medicare with questions. Veterans can find more healthcare resources at www.beconnecctedaz.org.