Finding New Health Insurance Choices if You Lose Medicaid

After a 3-year pause due to the pandemic, states have recently started to re-check whether people enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP are still eligible for these programs.

This process, called Medicaid Redetermination, will impact 1 in every 4 Americans. And while states, community leaders, and business leaders are working together to help people through the process, more than 1.9 million people have already lost coverage, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Although some portion of those disenrolled may still be eligible for Medicaid, and make their way back into the program, there are other options for many people that cannot re-enroll.

The good news? Many of those no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP will be able to get health insurance through employers.

Employer-provided coverage delivers affordable, high-quality health care and provides financial peace of mind to more than 180 million Americans and their loved ones. With benefits like emergency and preventive care, prescription drug coverage, dental and vision, mental health care support, and care coordination — employer-provided coverage empowers Americans to choose and control the care and protection they receive through work. And it’s estimated that around half of Americans losing Medicaid coverage will transition to this kind of coverage.

A strong majority of Americans (63%) with employer-provided coverage are satisfied with their coverage, and 68% prefer to get their coverage through their employer rather than the federal or state government.

How do I enroll in employer-provided coverage?

If you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, you should reach out to your employer immediately. You are eligible for a special enrollment period (SEP) to enroll in coverage through your employer. Employees typically only have 60 days from the date they lose Medicaid coverage to request an SEP — but if you lost Medicaid eligibility on or before July 10, 2023, you can request an SEP until at least September 8, 2023.

Employers also offer an annual open enrollment period at another time during the year, when all employees can re-examine their coverage choices and make changes that are right for them.

While employer-provided coverage is the right choice for millions of employees and their families, you may want to determine whether your spouse or dependents are eligible for financial assistance through the marketplaces.

Do I have other options besides my employer for health insurance?

If your employer does not offer coverage, visit healthcare.gov and explore your choices to enroll through the health insurance marketplace. You may be eligible for financial help to lower your monthly costs.

Where can I get more information?

AHIP has put together a toolkit — in both English and Spanish — with information on the process and easy guidance on how to move to employer-provided coverage.