We will all be grateful when we can safely put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. But, behind the sigh of relief many of us will feel, there will be millions of Americans who stand to lose the healthcare coverage they received under the public health emergency. In other words, we’ll trade one public health crisis for another.
This “Medicaid Cliff” will result in more than 80 million Americans having to be “re-qualified” for coverage, and history clearly shows that largely due to the complexities and challenges of the system, millions will fall through the cracks. But it doesn’t need to be this way. In a new piece for Real Clear Politics, we explain why. You can find it here.
Meanwhile, if you missed our blog post earlier this summer about the “time tax”, of which the Medicaid Cliff is a prime example, it (and The Atlantic piece by Annie Lowery), are well worth reading.
Finally, Families USA, the leading organization advocating for beneficiaries, will release a study soon, on which CAMI was pleased to partner. Families’ recommendation of re-upping the “No Wrong Door” concept that was initially a part of the Affordable Care Act, and which would automatically enroll applicants in the insurance program for which they qualify, will help us ensure that eligible Americans do not slip through the cracks for benefits or programs that they qualify for.
These are just a few of the steps we need to take to ensure that government services work better for the people they are supposed to serve.