– More than 12,800 children dropped from Missouri Medicaid in August
– 3/4 of those were due to paperwork shortcomings, not eligibility reasons
– August was the third month in the state’s eligibility review effort
– Half of all Medicaid terminations over these three months involved children
Massive Medicaid Termination Affecting Missouri’s Children
In a recent development in Missouri, a staggering 12,833 children were removed from the state’s Medicaid program in August. Interestingly, more than three-quarters of these terminations were not due to ineligibility, but rather resulted from paperwork glitches.
Children Remain the Most Affected
This alarming number represents the terminations that took place during the third month of the state’s revival of reassessing eligibility for every Medicaid participant. The state had paused this practice for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shockingly, of all the Medicaid terminations that have taken place over the last three months, roughly half have involved children.
The Breezy Take
The sheer number of children unfairly cut off from Medicaid in Missouri due to administrative issues is a situation that warrants immediate attention. While the initiative to verify eligibility of Medicaid participants is in principle a sound one, it is critical to ensure that this process does not impose an undue bureaucratic burden on the families of recipients – especially the most vulnerable among them, our children. A more compassionate, child-centered approach to implementing such initiatives seems crucial if Missouri is looking for a healthy future for its younger population.
Original article: https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/26/nearly-half-of-all-missouri-medicaid-terminations-in-last-three-months-have-been-children/