The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), UnidosUS and nine other leading civil rights organizations released a report detailing how the United States is suffering an avoidable civil rights and health equity disaster, six months after the lifting of pandemic-era Medicaid continued eligibility requirements.
At a press conference, Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, explained how the health care system has failed the most vulnerable people—until the COVID-19 pandemic brought health care needs to the forefront.
“It is a sad reality that it took a global pandemic for our nation’s elected leaders to expand life-saving health care services to hard-working Americans. The fact is, our health care system has long failed the most vulnerable,” Johnson said.
He said the data in the report "is further proof that the Medicaid disenrollment process is riddled with racism."
"We will not stand by as millions within our community are once again left without a lifeline. We are proud to stand with UnidosUS and other civil rights organizations in urging an immediate pause on all Medicaid disenrollments."
In that regard, I emphasize that state governments should do everything possible to re-enroll those who have lost coverage, taking advantage of available data to verify eligibility or providing easily accessible support to complete the paperwork necessary to confirm eligibility.
The disenrollment has caused the deepest and steepest Medicaid drop in history, with nearly 8 million people losing coverage in just six months, he noted.
Additionally, the report found that three-quarters of people who lost coverage were fired for procedural reasons, most often due to simple paperwork problems.