WASHINGTON— Today, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services released an instructional bulletin to all states and U.S. territories requiring them to ensure Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligible individuals retain their coverage during the state’s Medicaid Unwinding period. CMS released additional data that nine states, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Arkansas, South Dakota, Idaho, New Hampshire, and Montana, account for 60 percent of the decline in children’s Medicaid and CHIP enrollment from March through September 2023. In September, CMS required all states to pause disenrollment and reinstate coverage for certain disenrolled individuals under Medicaid Unwinding. The action resulted in a half-million children and their families regaining Medicaid and CHIP Coverage. Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), released the following statement: “Medicaid and CHIP cover more than half of all children in the United States. We applaud CMS for ensuring children have reliable access to necessary health care as we head into winter when influenza and other illnesses need medical attention. “However, thousands of families and their children continue to face disenrollment, and it is unconscionable that this occurs due to a state’s systems and operational issues. These states must take immediate action to ensure children are protected. Today’s action by CMS reinforces the Biden administration’s policy of ensuring quality care for all families, and states must take action to ensure the well-being of our nation’s children.” # # # The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

WASHINGTON—Today, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services announced that half a million children and other individuals regained coverage to CHIP and Medicaid as a result of its August call to action letter sent to all states and U.S. territories. The letter required immediate action from state Medicaid directors to address the affected families and safeguard them from improper disenrollments. Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) released the following statement: “The immediate action by CMS has resulted in necessary and life-saving health coverage reinstated for some of our nation’s most vulnerable populations. “Today shows that CMS must continue to take bold, decisive steps to mitigate the devastating impacts of Medicaid Unwinding, especially as millions of additional families face the disenrollment cliff. We urge the Biden administration to protect access to affordable health care for all families, including additional accessible resources and outreach to vulnerable communities.” # # # The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

WASHINGTON—Today, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services sent a letter to all states and U.S. territories requiring them to determine if they have an eligibility systems issue that could cause entire households to be disenrolled from Medicaid or CHIP even if they are eligible for coverage. If a state has an eligibility systems issue, they must do the following, to avoid CMS enforcement to bring states into compliance: 1) Pause procedural disenrollments for those individuals impacted, 2) Reinstate coverage for all affected individuals and provide retroactive eligibility back to the date of termination, 3) Implement one or more CMS-approved mitigation strategies until such time that the state has fixed all systems and processes to prevent continued inappropriate disenrollments, and 4)Fix state systems and processes to ensure renewals are conducted appropriately and in accordance with federal Medicaid requirements. Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) released the following statement: “We applaud CMS for taking bold action to safeguard health care coverage for millions of families across our nation as we continue to face the devastating impacts of disenrollment from Medicaid Unwinding, which disproportionately affects communities of color, immigrants and individuals with limited English proficiency. “Health care is a fundamental right, and ensuring that children and families have reliable access to necessary services is paramount. It is unconscionable for states to disenroll thousands of families, including children, due to a state’s systems and operational issues. This action today by CMS is a positive and necessary step toward protecting coverage for low-income families, and we are optimistic that the Biden administration will continue to forge forth towards affordable, quality care for all families.” # # # The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.