Article Summary –
A study by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University showed a 27% decline in childhood Medicaid enrollment in Montana between April and December 2023. This was the second-highest drop in the nation, with over four million children nationwide being dis-enrolled. Despite Montana’s Governor and state health department stating that overall Medicaid enrollment had returned to pre-pandemic levels, the rate of child enrollment was lower than before the pandemic, prompting concerns from analysts and advocacy groups.
Montana has Second Highest Childhood Medicaid Dropout Rates
From April to December 2023, Montana witnessed a 27% decrease in childhood Medicaid enrollment, the second highest drop in the US, revealed a recent report evaluating states’ post-pandemic Medicaid eligibility. The report, conducted by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, found that childhood Medicaid enrollment decreased by over four million nationwide during the eligibility redeterminations in 2023.
According to the report, Montana Medicaid programs covered over 133,000 children in April 2023, when redeterminations began. However, by December, this number dipped to nearly 97,800. Montana’s 27% caseload reduction was slightly below South Dakota’s, which had the highest reduction. (source)
Montana’s Response to Medicaid Enrollment Drop
Montana’s Governor Greg Gianforte and his state health department leader defended their handling of Medicaid redeterminations. Despite 134,000 people losing coverage between April 2023 and January 2024, a spokesperson for Gianforte claimed that overall Medicaid enrollment has returned to pre-pandemic levels. (source)
However, the Center for Children and Families report implies that the December 2023 enrollment for children was still lower than pre-pandemic levels. In February 2020, Montana had approximately 115,000 children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, but that figure fell by roughly 15% to 97,800 by December 2023.
Concerns Raised Over Children’s Medicaid Coverage
Joan Alker, a Georgetown research professor, highlighted that Montana was among eight states that saw fewer children enrolled in Medicaid by the end of 2023 than before the pandemic. She expressed concern over Montana’s 15% reduction, the highest among any state. The next highest-ranking states, Idaho, South Dakota and Arkansas, only had 6% reductions. Alker’s concern was echoed by Heather O’Loughlin, executive director of the Montana Budget and Policy Center, who blamed Montana’s high figures on the state’s handling of the redetermination process.
Alker further highlighted the risks of removing eligible children due to administrative red tape rather than loss of eligibility. She noted that North Carolina and Kentucky paused disenrollments for children during the unwinding period to prevent such removals. (source)
Call for States to Re-enroll Eligible Children
Alker, along with Dr. Kimberly Avila Edwards from the American Academy of Pediatrics, urged state governments to reach out to families whose children lost coverage and re-enroll those who remain eligible. However, no such outreach campaign has been announced by the Gianforte administration and the Montana state health department. Montana residents who believe they are eligible can visit apply.mt.gov.
Cover Montana, a sector of the Montana Primary Care Association, has launched partnerships with local community organizations to assist in re-enrolling as many eligible individuals as possible. (source)
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