It’s time to prepare for the end of the public health emergency
How can health plans prepare to help the millions of Americans who are facing a loss of coverage?
The public health emergency (PHE), which was first declared in March 2020, gave Medicaid members the benefit of automatic reenrollment without redetermination. However, when the order expires, an estimated 15 million enrollees, who were new to Medicaid as of the pandemic, may no longer qualify for coverage. Not only will those members have to be reevaluated for eligibility, but they may also have to find new coverage on the Marketplace or elsewhere. An enormous task in itself, the entire process will be exacerbated by the staffing shortages at Medicaid agencies across the country.
The clock is ticking
With the recent extension of the PHE, Managed Medicaid health plans have a little bit of breathing room — but not much. The order, which would have expired on April 16, 2022, will now likely end in mid-July. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has stated they will provide states with 60 days’ notice prior to the expiration of the PHE
Plans will need to figure out how to get information to their members — fast.
The first step in this delicate house of cards will be ensuring that health plans have the correct contact information for their members. After all, if members can’t be reached, they can’t be helped. But how do you quickly collect information from your members at scale? One simple option is text messaging.
Leading the way in this effort is the state of California. Following guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has already directed plans to use text messaging to obtain contact information from members and help members with renewals. It’s fast and easy and we find time and again that it’s the preferred way for members to communicate.
Trust matters
Once health plans can effectively reach their members, the real work begins. Members may or may not understand why they are losing coverage and it’ll be up to the plan to communicate this information. With Medicaid members spanning populations and demographics, building trust and establishing understanding will be a challenge. Backed by social science, our Community Health Guides are trained in the art of cultural connection, going beyond language to guide members through their health journey, whether that means reenrollment finding coverage on the Marketplace.
Learn how SameSky Health can help you take five important steps now to reduce coverage loss for your Medicaid members here.