Louisiana's Medicaid purge explained in 60 seconds: Will you lose coverage?
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Louisiana's 2 million Medicaid recipients will receive pink letters this week as the first warning of a nationwide Medicaid purge that could cause as many as 350,000 Louisianans to lose their health insurance.
The massive Medicaid disenrollment is coming as COVID-19 pandemic protections expire and income eligibility requirements are reinstated.
Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards has proposed spending almost $200 million in state funds over the next year on a public awareness campaign to prevent anyone who is eligible from being removed and guiding those who will be purged to potential low-cost options, according to reporting from the Louisiana Illuminator
"We want all Louisianans who are eligible for Medicaid to stay covered,” said Edwards, who called the public awareness campaign a "massive undertaking."
The pink letters ask all Medicaid recipients to update their information by logging on to www.MyMedicaid.la.gov, emailing MyMedicaid@la.gov, calling the health plan on the number on your ID card or calling Medicaid’s Customer Service Center at 1-888-342-6207 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
In May, the first notices will go out to those who could lose coverage. Those notices won't all go out at once, but will continue over the next year.
The first purge will begin July 1.
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Generally, households can't earn more than 138% of the federal poverty level, which is about $20,000 per year for a one-person household, but that amount goes higher with more dependents.
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: 60-second read: Louisiana's looming Medicaid purge explained
