State to ‘redetermine’ Medicaid coverage for 2.7 million Georgians. What to know
Starting this weekend, Georgia will began redetermining the eligibility of 2.7 million adults and children who are currently receiving Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids coverage.
Many of these recipients have been covered because of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which was passed by Congress in March of 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under this act, Georgia Medicaid members were continuously eligible for Medicaid coverage as long the U.S. was under a federal public health emergency.
This changed in December of 2022, after a federal spending bill was passed that ended Medicaid continuous enrollment on March 31. States began Medicaid redetermination — where those on Medicaid are asked to show that they still qualify for coverage — on April 1.
The bill stated that redetermination could begin regardless of the end of the public health emergency, which is set to expire on May 11 of this year.
According to Kaiser Family Foundation, at the end of the continuous enrollment period, 5 to 14 million Americans could lose their Medicaid coverage.
During redetermination, which Georgia has 14 months to figure out, those who receive Medicaid may be asked to update or provide information about their job, income, and more to retain coverage.
Georgians who are concerned about their Medicaid can check staycovered.ga.gov for more information about what they can do to keep their coverage.
As stated on the DHS website, Georgians on Medicaid can also take action by ensuring that the information on their Gateway account is up to date. They can sign up for email notifications on Gateway to stay informed.
Options if you lose Medicaid coverage
Those who wish to talk face-to-face about their coverage options can do so by scheduling an appointment at their nearest Division of Family and Children Services office. This DHS website can be used to look for locations closest to you.
People who live in Bibb or Twiggs County who lose their Medicaid may be able to turn to a local source, the Macon Volunteer Clinic (MVC), for new coverage.
As stated on the MVC’s website, the clinic “provides free primary medical and dental care, as well as non-narcotic medication assistance, to uninsured, working adults who live in Macon-Bibb or Twiggs County and whose income is equal to or less than 200% of the federal poverty level.”
Macon Volunteer Clinic’s Executive Director Nancy White told the Telegraph that it’s important for people to remember that if they get dropped from Medicaid, there are other resources available, including the plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Those who are stuck in the middle, with neither Medicaid nor ACA plans as an option, may be a perfect fit for MVC care.
“We care for people who make too much for Medicaid and not enough to afford an ACA plan,” White said. “When our founders carved the eligibility requirements out for Macon Volunteer Clinic, they were careful not to duplicate other safety nets. So we truly do catch people who fall through the cracks of our system. And that’s why we’ve always been here; we’ve been here 20 years. If you qualify, we can be your medical home at no cost to you.”
MVC is not a federally qualified health center and does not receive federal funding. The clinic instead relies on donations from foundations and from the public to provide free healthcare for the uninsured.
To learn more about the Macon Volunteer Clinic’s mission, visit the about page on their website, or call (478) 755-1110, extension 121 to reach the clinic’s front desk for more information.
