LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Biden administration on Monday, Dec. 18, sent letters to nine states that had the highest percentage of children who have lost Medicaid or CHIP coverage during a six-month "unwinding" process, urging them to "adopt federal strategies and flexibilities" to help ensure children will not lose coverage due to "red tape."
Earlier in the year, the Arkansas Department of Human Services disenrolled a total of 427,459 people from their coverage. The state did this as part of an effort to conduct "eligibility redeterminations" for those with Medicaid coverage that was extended during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra urged Arkansas and eight other states to adopt strategies that he said would "help eligible children maintain access to the health coverage they need to thrive."
"My department stands ready to do all that we can to help your state advance this goal," Becerra said, "including by providing Arkansas with the flexibility to pause procedural disenrollments for children while it adopts other strategies to ensure eligible children remain enrolled."
Around 78,000 children in Arkansas lost coverage during the "unwinding" process, which Becerra said he was "deeply alarmed" by. The nine states in total account for "about 60% of the decline" in children's Medicaid and CHIP coverage from March to September 2023.
Kristi Putnam, Arkansas's DHS secretary in October, said she was "proud of the work" across the agency to "ensure that our program is serving only those who truly need Medicaid."
“Medicaid resources should go to Arkansans who qualify for them, and not for those who are ineligible,” Putnam said.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded to the letter on social media, calling the letter a "politically motivated PR stunt."
"Arkansas is in compliance with state and federal law, while Biden plays politics at Christmas," Sanders said.
Among the actions suggested, states can improve auto-renewal rates, make renewals easier for children and families, as well as taking steps to reach families through outreach and increasing call center capacity.
The Biden administration announced an option that would allow another year for a child to be enrolled.
"HHS stands ready to work with you and your team to take the additional, available steps to make sure children have the health coverage they need and deserve," Becerra said.