(The Center Square) — Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows over one million Floridians were disenrolled from Medicaid since 2023, primarily for administrative reasons.
As of July 12, over 24 million U.S residents. have been disenrolled from Medicaid.
The federal government asked states to provide continuous Medicaid coverage to those enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic, even if their circumstances changed, making them ineligible for coverage.
Since the pandemic came to an end, Medicaid allowed a year for states to transition back to normal operations. Florida began unwinding Medicaid enrollments in 2023.
According to KFF's Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker, Florida had 1.9 million residents disenrolled from coverage, while 3.1 million have had coverage renewed. Data shows around 64% were terminated for procedural reasons, while 36% of Floridians were found to be ineligible.
Before sending a renewal form or requiring documentation from an enrollee, federal rules specify that states are required to complete administrative renewals, also known as ex parte, to verify ongoing eligibility using available data.
In Florida, 32% of enrollees had coverage renewed through ex parte, while the remaining 68% had Medicaid coverage renewed through a renewal form. Net Medicaid enrollment declines for Florida from 2023 to July 12 was about 24%.
In the neighboring state of Georgia, approximately 792,000 people were disenrolled, while the state renewed coverage for almost 1 million people.
Alabama disenrolled roughly 369,000 people and renewed coverage for approximately 745,000, while Mississippi disenrolled 148,000 people and renewed coverage for 434,000 others.
The Foundation for Government Accountability released a report on the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act — also known as ObamaCare — to include able-bodied individuals, which will push up spending even further.
"Surging enrollment has led to skyrocketing spending. In 2013, taxpayers spent $406 billion on the Medicaid program," the report states. "A decade later, total Medicaid spending has more than doubled, reaching nearly $874 billion.
"Medicaid now consumes nearly one-third of states' non-capital budgets and is growing nearly twice as fast as state tax revenues. Expanding Medicaid in non-expansion states would burst already tight budgets and kick millions off of private insurance."
Florida is currently a non-expansion state and provides over two million low-income people with health plans with no out-of-pocket premiums or deductibles.