As many as 5.3 million children may lose their Medicaid coverage during a period of eligibility redetermination following the COVID-19 public health emergency, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This period, which started April 1, is often called “the unwinding.” Of that number, it is estimated that up to 70 percent of children will lose Medicaid coverage due to procedural reasons, such as enrollees not being reached or enrollees not returning forms.
The AAP has developed a two-page resource for pediatricians to help children stay covered. Additional resources are available on the AAP’s Preserving Medicaid and CHIP Coverage page. These resources may be helpful to you, your colleagues, or your patients and families. Ensuring that children do not inappropriately lose their health care coverage is incredibly important to their health and wellbeing.
