Biden's Medicaid Warning: Health Care Wins Under Threat
The Biden administration is pressuring states to meet federal requirements as they renew Medicaid coverage for millions of people, with concerns over high rates of coverage losses due to paperwork problems, long call center wait times, and slow application processing. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sent letters to all 50 states and Washington, D.C., identifying these concerns, with 36 states falling short on at least one criterion. The move towards transparency represents a shift in enforcement activities, as the agency faces pressure to take stronger action against noncompliant states. Over 4 million people have lost Medicaid benefits in the last four months, with the majority losing coverage due to paperwork issues.