More than 62,000 Coloradans lost Medicaid coverage in June. Here's how you can protect your benefits.
More than 100,000 Coloradans have lost their Medicaid benefits this summer, and about half of those were just in June alone, according to new data the state released this week. This comes as the state begins to review Medicaid claims for the first time in three years, following a temporary halt on eligibility verifications during the pandemic.
For some people, these benefits are critical for daily life, but activists like Julie Reiskin, co-director of the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, say the government's processes aren't making it easy for people to ensure their healthcare stays in place.
"To be clear, I think the state does not want anyone who is eligible to be cut off, but the systems are just not working the way they need to," Reiskin said. "We still have a system that's challenging, and the counties, they're overwhelmed."
Reiskin has been helping several clients navigate the state's Medicaid system this summer.
"We had a case this week of someone who was very seriously disabled an elder, you know, an older woman, and she had filled stuff out, on time, and she called the county twice, saying, 'did you get it, you need anything, is everything okay?' And they said, 'you're in queue, it's going to take six to eight weeks,'" Reiskin explained. "She then reached out to us, we filed an appeal, which is supposed to keep the benefits going, but on August 1 when she didn't have care, like couldn't get out of bed, we contacted the state, and said, 'where are the continuing benefits,' and they said, 'oh, her Medicaid ended June 30,' but she never knew, she never got notices."
She says once they got involved, the woman got her benefits back in two days, but Reiskin says two days can be a long time if you can't physically get yourself out of bed.
"These are life and death services for the folks we represent," Reiskin said.
She wants the state to temporarily halt reviews on people with long-term care to help alleviate overwhelmed counties across Colorado.
"So, if we take the long-term care out, which are the more complicated applications, I think that'll free stuff up for the counties, the non-long-term care is a lot simpler, and they could handle that," Reiskin said. "When their workload and systems are more under control, they can then bring in the long-term care, maybe at a slower pace, or maybe have some specialty units that can deal with this."
In June alone, 43,994 people had their Medicaid renewal denied, because of procedural reasons, like failing to fill out proper paperwork. In total, 62,539 lost their benefits in June, with 18,545 no longer eligible due to eligibility reasons like too high of an income or no longer living in Colorado.
You can see all of the stats on the number of people accepted and denied by clicking here.
Reiskin stresses it's important to check your mailbox regularly for information on how to renew, and fill out the redetermination packet you receive through the snail mail entirely, sign it, and send it back.
If you were denied, the state says you have a 90-day window where you can still turn in your renewal packet and file an appeal.
The state says it wants to reduce procedural denials. To manage your benefits, or update your home address within the Medicaid system, click here.
Reiskin says if you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to your county or your healthcare provider for assistance. She says if you've filled out all of the proper paperwork and still have been denied, reach out to an advocacy agency like hers for further help.
"When you respond, and you don't get an answer, it's not that you did something wrong, and you should feel absolutely no shame about reaching out and saying, 'hey, listen to me.' Don't feel like you're a complainer or anything like that," Reiskin says. "You have a right to these benefits. These are benefits that are there for people that need them."
The state is going to be reviewing claims every month until next April. Depending on what month you first enrolled for Medicaid will be the month that the state will review your eligibility and determine whether or not your benefits should be revoked.
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