Highmark Health Options and Network Connect will be hosting education outreach events through April to help Medicaid users through the redetermination process.
During the COVID-19 health emergency, federal law prohibited states from removing people from Medicaid in exchange for increased funding, but that flexibility ended in April.
As of October, over 24,000 Delawarenas lost their Medicaid coverage after the federal government restarted the redetermination process.
Highmark Health Options President Todd Graham explains some Medicaid users are losing coverage because they aren’t aware of the new changes to the renewal process.
“The big issue is because there was a three year delay during COVID of people having to fill out this paperwork, then it’s a big mad rush to get everybody to fill this out in this year, really between April and May," he says.
While active Medicaid users are generally reminded to fill out redetermination paperwork, Graham explains those who don’t frequent the hospital may benefit from increased outreach.
“That’s why we’re trying to make sure that we can notify each one of these members and they’re looking for this paperwork, they’re looking for the information from the state, so they can make sure that they renew their Medicaid coverage," Graham says.
Network Connect will be hosting events through April to help connect Medicaid users with state resources, answer questions and community messengers will be carrying electronic tablets to help complete and submit Medicaid renewal information.
Graham hopes Highmark and Network Connect will continue to make education surrounding the redetermination process a long-term commitment.
A full list of events will be listed on the Network Connect Facebook page.
