The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) recently announced that 25, 490 Idahoans lost Medicaid eligibility. Some of those individuals lost Medicaid on April 1, while the rest will lose coverage on May 1. In the coming months, many more Idahoans are expected to lose Medicaid.
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, states were not allowed to remove anyone from Medicaid enrollment unless they moved out of the state, asked to be removed, or died. This policy became known as continuous Medicaid enrollment or Medicaid Protection. Recent federal legislation allows states, as of April 1, to remove individuals who no longer qualify for Medicaid in a process known as Medicaid Unwinding.
The Idaho Medicaid Unwinding process began in February 2023, with mailers sent to the first group of individuals in Medicaid Protection. DHW reports that 153,837 Idahoans were in Medicaid Protection and will be re-evaluated. A total of 36,580 applications have been processed so far, with 65% of Medicaid recipients found to be ineligible. Experts estimate that 60,000 Idahoans will lose health insurance at the end of this process.
Currently, Idaho is sending letters and calling individuals in Medicaid Protection. In Idaho, all individuals who cannot be contacted for re-evaluation or who are found ineligible will lose their Medicaid benefits.
Take Action.
If you use Medicaid for your healthcare coverage, ensure Idaho has up-to-date information so you can receive notices about your benefits and any re-evaluations. Report your phone number and current address to IDHW by
Calling IDHW at 877-456-1233
Emailing MyBenefits@dhw.idaho.gov
Visiting idalink.idaho.gov
Did You lose coverage?
If you lose your coverage through this process and need access to healthcare, we can help. Idaho's free clinics are here to make sure your healthcare needs are met. There are 12 independent free clinics, with 15 locations around the state, including mobile clinics and telehealth services.
Free clinics offer a variety of services to patients at no cost, including:
diagnosis and treatment of disease
management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension
access to preventative screenings for early disease detection
access to behavioral health services
preventive and restorative dental services such as fillings and extractions
access to prescription medications
Find a free clinic near you or email us at info@idahoafcc.org