How Pa. Medicaid Disenrollment Compares to Other States

July 06, 2023

The number of Medicaid beneficiaries removed from coverage since the end of continuous enrollment varies widely across the U.S., with Pennsylvania ranking near the middle of the pack.

The latest update to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s (KFF) Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker shows that states are using different strategies to notify people that they need to renew or update their coverage, and that disenrollment rates vary from 75 percent in South Carolina to 16 percent in Virginia.

“Differences in who states are targeting with early renewals as well as differences in renewal policies and systems capacity likely explain some of the variation in disenrollment rates,” KFF notes.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Background:  During the pandemic, a federal provision required states to keep Medicaid patients on the rolls. The provision ended in March, with some states beginning procedural disenrollments during April.
• By the numbers:  Of 28 reporting states, more than 1.65 million enrollees have been disenrolled through Wednesday. Across the U.S., the total count for disenrolled beneficiaries is much higher.
• State perspectives:  Florida has the most disenrolled beneficiaries (303,000), but its disenrollment rate is 15 overall. Pennsylvania ranks 16 for its disenrollment rate, with 97,000 disenrolled.
• Reasons for disenrollment:  Among those disenrolled, 71 percent were terminated for procedural reasons due to not completing the renewal process.
  • In Pennsylvania, about 44 percent were terminated from coverage for procedural reasons, and 56 percent were determined ineligible.
  • South Carolina had the highest rate of terminations for procedural reasons (93%).
• What to watch:  “High procedural disenrollment rates are concerning because many people who are disenrolled for these paperwork reasons may still be eligible for Medicaid coverage,” the KFF report notes.

With the end of continuous enrollment, DHS—in partnership with provider organizations, including HAP—has developed resources to help providers share important information with patients.

DHS’s stakeholder toolkit includes printable education materials, scripts for conversations with patients, and digital assets, such as social media posts and website graphics. The toolkit is available online.