NEW: 150,000 Georgia Kids Kicked Off Medicaid On Brian Kemp’s Watch

Brian Kemp and the State of Georgia are kicking more children off Medicaid health coverage than almost any other state, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

On Brian Kemp’s watch, nearly 150,000 Georgia kids have lost their Medicaid coverage—the vast majority of whom are likely still eligible—as the state redetermines eligibility. According to HHS, the ten states that have not fully expanded Medicaid—including Georgia—have dropped more children from Medicaid than all other states combined. 

“Hundreds of thousands of Georgia children have lost access to health care on Brian Kemp’s watch,” said Tolulope Kevin Olasanoye, DPG Executive Director. “Rather than expand Medicaid and ensure Georgians have the quality healthcare they need, Kemp’s mismanagement has resulted in more Georgia kids losing their health insurance. Governor Kemp’s choices have failed Georgia children—plain and simple.”

Read more here and below:

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Georgia ranked third worst in nation for kicking kids off Medicaid

Ariel Hart, 12/18/23

Key Points

• Georgia is disenrolling children from Medicaid in greater numbers than most other states, many of whom may actually be eligible for coverage, according to information released Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  
• In the first six months after Georgia began updating up its Medicaid rolls this March, the state dropped 149,000 children from the health insurance program, according to the data. Georgia was No. 3 in the nation for the number of children dropped from Medicaid. Federal officials and public advocates believe many of the children still qualify for the coverage, but were dropped in error—most often due to paperwork errors, either by the family or by the state.
  
• “State choices matter,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a call with reporters. He and his aides said Georgia had followed only 7 out of 20 recommended tips for states, where other states had taken up as many as 15.
  
• The number of all ages that the state has reported disenrolled as of October 31, 2023 totals 389,000. The vast majority of those—86%—did not fall out of eligibility. They were disenrolled because of clerical errors or bureaucratic red tape.

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