Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a letter to State Medicaid Directors that requires Medicaid agencies to address a concern that a number of states are conducting ex parte renewals improperly. Ex parte refers to a process by which the government renews benefits using data that's already available. Federal regulations require state agencies to attempt ex parte renewals for Medicaid coverage and check existing data sources before requiring people to submit paperwork.
The letter gives states a deadline of September 13 to evaluate their practices and submit a written mitigation plan to CMS. CMS threatened states with the loss of enhanced Medicaid funds if they do not comply with federal regulations.
The failures CMS identified in states’ ex parte processes have a direct impact on immigrants and their family members. First, some states are disenrolling entire families when one individual fails the ex parte review. For example, if a U.S. citizen child’s eligibility can be redetermined ex parte, but their immigrant parent is no longer eligible, the state would disenroll the whole household. Or, if a state needs additional documentation from one member of a household, and language barriers prevent that person from providing it, the whole household would be disenrolled.
PIF is heartened to see this letter from CMS and will be developing a plan in partnership with our Medicaid Unwinding Task Force and Steering Committee. We will work to draw attention to the unique barriers immigrant communities face and the steps CMS and state agencies can take to mitigate barriers to enrollment. The Coalition’s Medicaid Unwinding Task Force meets next week. It is open to PIF members. If you would like to join this conversation, please sign up here (it’s quick and free!) and then email Sonya Schwartz at [email protected]) for meeting details. We hope to see you there.
Read the Letter |
