ATLANTA — The Associated Press reported Monday that roughly 1.5 million people around the country have already bee removed from Medicaid under a review process that began in April.
In Georgia, that number is still relatively small - about 1,600 people according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
You can expect it to rise, though, as the state reviews the eligibility of more and more Medicaid recipients.
A federal policy under the federal COVID-19 emergency had frozen Medicaid eligibility in place - guaranteeing that people who were on the program when the pandemic began would continue receiving it, regardless of how their eligibility changed.
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More than 93 million people nationwide were enrolled in Medicaid as of the most recent available data in February — up nearly one-third from the pre-pandemic total in January 2020. The rolls swelled because federal law prohibited states from removing people from Medicaid during the health emergency in exchange for providing states with increased funding.
Over the next year, though, all 50 states will have to determine who still is eligible and who is no longer qualifies. Congress passed a spending bill in December requiring this process.
Here's some of what you can do in Georgia if you get disenrolled from the program:
What you can do if you lose Medicaid in Georgia
- The state has launched an FAQ website, staycovered.ga.gov, which you can find here.
- According to the site, if you are no longer eligible, you will be connected with the Federally Facilitated Marketplace to find new coverage.
- If you lose coverage because you didn't submit all necessary documentation to the state, you will still have 90 days to submit more paperwork to potentially regain the coverage.
- If you lose coverage and want to dispute the decision, you can request what's known as a "Fair Hearing." The state says you'll have 30 days from the date of your denial to request a hearing.
- More on Fair Hearings, from the state website: "Fair Hearings are handled through the Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH). You can visit their website at osah.ga.gov for more information. Their job is to help resolve disputes between the public and state agencies. And as an independent entity, OSAH ensures Georgians that state agencies act in accordance with approved laws, rules and regulations."
- If you request a hearing, you'll first receive a notice in the mail with the time and place of your hearing.
- The hearing will work like a trial without a jury - you'll be able to provide evidence that you should be eligible, such as bills and bank records. The state notes you should bring two copies of any document to such a proceeding.
- After evidence is supplied by both sides, you'll be able to make a closing argument.
- The judge's decision will be sent to you by mail once it is made. The state advises you to read documentation that comes with that decision carefully, because it will contain information you need if you wish to dispute the judge's decision.
- Do you need a lawyer? According to OSAH: "You must decide the answer to this question. The Administrative Law Judge will explain what to expect at the hearing. The Administrative Law Judge may not help either side or offer legal advice."
- You can read more about the Fair Hearing process at the OSAH website's FAQ section here.