Black, Hispanic, and Native American patients were significantly more likely to lose Medicaid coverage during the recent “unwinding” process, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Health Forum. Over 17 million Americans have lost Medicaid coverage in the past year as states began reassessing eligibility following the end of pandemic-era continuous enrollment policies.
The study found that Black patients were 10% more likely than White patients to be disenrolled, while Hispanic patients were nearly 20% more likely. Native American and Alaskan Native patients faced the highest disparity, being more than twice as likely to lose coverage compared to White patients.
Most disenrollments were due to “procedural reasons,” meaning individuals failed to complete required paperwork rather than being found ineligible. This approach disproportionately impacted communities of color, which had previously benefited from targeted outreach during Medicaid expansion.
The loss of coverage has far-reaching consequences beyond healthcare access. Medicaid enrollment has been shown to reduce medical debt, improve credit scores, and decrease the likelihood of eviction. The current disenrollment process threatens to exacerbate existing racial inequalities in economic mobility and community well-being.
Individuals with mental health or substance misuse issues were 50% more likely to lose coverage, creating a critical gap in care for vulnerable populations.
Experts argue that states should have used existing income tax data and more robust community outreach efforts to ensure eligible individuals retained coverage, rather than relying on bureaucratic processes that risk wrongly disenrolling eligible households.
“Loss Of Medicaid Coverage Disproportionately Impacted People Of Color” (May 6, 2024)
