State warns some residents will lose Medicaid coverage by year’s end

Changes in financial criteria for the program will affect 85,000 of the 987,000 enrolled patients

Medicaid enrollment changes that will make tens of thousands of patients in New Mexico ineligible for coverage are coming by the year’s end.

Pandemic-related emergency orders have been extended until October, giving patients several months to seek alternative insurance, including plans offered through the state’s health insurance exchange, BeWellnm.

The problem? Many Medicaid patients who need to find new coverage by Nov. 1 either have no idea of the coming changes or are difficult to reach, officials from the state Human Services Department told the Legislative Finance Committee on Thursday.

Changes to financial criteria for Medicaid will affect about 85,000 of the 987,000 New Mexico patients enrolled in the program, state Medicaid Director Nicole Comeaux said.

“We want the public to understand what’s happening so as to not lose coverage,” she said.

Challenges — such as call center staffing issues, supply chain problems, Medicaid members changing benefits, and old or incorrect contact information in the data system — compound the state’s efforts to reach patients, Human Services Secretary David Scrase told lawmakers.

Comeaux said Medicaid patients should watch for a turquoise envelope in the mail, which will contain a notification letter. It will start going out about 45 days before benefits are scheduled to end, she added.

Repeated efforts to grab patients’ attention with white envelopes haven’t been successful, she said. “They’re tossing us in the trash.”

The state also will use radio and digital media sources to get the word out about the changes.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides health care for low-income Americans.

The state’s insurance exchange, which includes a variety of plans by different

companies, largely serves self-employed workers and their families and others who don’t receive medical coverage through their employer. It also offers group coverage for workers at some small businesses.

Many patients who signed up for policies are now benefiting from subsidies through the federal American Rescue Plan

Act, which drastically reduced premiums.

Russell Toal, New Mexico’s insurance superintendent, told lawmakers he believes most Medicaid recipients who lose coverage will turn to BeWellnm to find a new plan.

He said he was optimistic federal officials will delay the changes until at least Jan. 1.

Nobody in a political office at the federal or state level wants to “kick millions of people” off Medicaid rolls just before an election, he said.