April 25, 2023
With the federal COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ending, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has mandated that states reevaluate their Medicaid membership to redetermine enrollees’ eligibility. It’s estimated that of the more than 20 million Medicaid enrollees added nationwide during the PHE, approximately 9.5 million who lose their coverage will move to employer-sponsored health plans.
Affected enrollees have begun being notified about their loss of Medicaid eligibility as early as March, depending on their state. Most states have indicated the redetermination and notification process will take 12 months.
Redetermination and loss of Medicaid is a qualifying event for employees and their dependents; they’ll have a 60-day special period to enroll in their employer’s health plan. Some employers will see no impact, while others, such as those in hospitality or retail, can expect an increase in enrollment.
We want to support your ability to provide health insurance to all your employees and prevent those most vulnerable—those losing Medicaid who may not be able to afford their employer-sponsored health insurance—from falling through the cracks. Please consider adding one of our low-cost options to your portfolio at renewal if you don’t currently have one. Employer groups that haven’t renewed yet this year can add low-cost options at renewal; the rest can add plan options during open enrollment for 2024.
You can learn more about our available 2023 plan options for employer groups of all sizes here.
Employer-sponsored coverage for employees with dependents is considered unaffordable under the ACA if the employee’s premium exceeds 9.12% of their 2023 household income. If these employees don’t enroll on your health plan, you can still help them and their dependents maintain health insurance. Please encourage them to shop for affordable Individual plans directly on the Health Insurance Marketplace, where they’ll find Asuris plans and may also qualify for premium tax credits.
Questions? Please contact your account representative.