Tracking the Medicaid Unwinding

(July 21, 2023)

We are nearly 4 months into the Medicaid Unwinding, the redetermination of Medicaid eligibility for almost 1 in 4 people in the United States. Allies for Children continues to monitor this long-anticipated process, as do our statewide partners and many other organizations, given the essential role that Medicaid plays in our healthcare system.

Why is Allies for Children watching this issue?

Medicaid families didn’t need to renew their coverage during most of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Due to this, many families on Medicaid: 1. Never had to complete a renewal of coverage, 2. Have not had to complete a renewal process in several years, 3. May have moved since the last time they renewed their coverage. All of these scenarios put eligible children and families at risk of losing coverage for procedural reasons.

How is Pennsylvania doing with the unwinding?

Pennsylvania DHS has a data tracking website where they’ll be posting reports throughout the 12 months. According to the data PA DHS shares with the federal government, since April, nearly 60,000 Pennsylvanians who had to renew their coverage have lost it for procedural reasons, meaning they failed to renew their application and lost coverage.

What do families need to know?

To learn more about why families should be informed and how they can update their information, please check out our previous blog post or go to the PA DHS Medicaid and CHIP renewals page.

How can I stay up to date on this issue?
  • The Georgetown Center for Children and Families has provided extensive resources during this period, including blog posts and state-specific data
  • The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has a page including an “Unwinding Watch
  • PA DHS has a Helper page — sign up to receive their materials for the unwinding
  • Organizations including PA Health Law Project and PHAN provide consumer-based information for Pennsylvanians on Medicaid and offer help to families

Cristina Codario, Allies for Children Health Policy Director