During the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicaid enrollment surged due to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which allowed continuous enrollment for beneficiaries.

However, starting April 1, 2023, states began disenrolling individuals deemed ineligible, leading to over 25 million people losing their Medicaid coverage by September 2024.

This unwinding process varied significantly across states, influenced by differences in administrative processes and income verification efforts.

States like Arkansas, Georgia, and Texas saw the largest declines in Medicaid enrollment, with child Medicaid enrollment dropping by 17% or more, while states like California and Connecticut experienced smaller decreases.

A recent study revealed that disruptions in access to chronic disease medications for children and young adults were linked to significant drops in Medicaid enrollment.

In high disenrollment states, 17% of children experienced reduced access to prescriptions, affecting multiple medication classes.

Young adults aged 19 to 25 were particularly affected, with those in states with the highest Medicaid disenrollments more likely to stop filling their prescriptions.

Children in states with the most significant drops in Medicaid and CHIP enrollment also faced greater disruptions in their therapy, although these inconsistencies were less pronounced than in young adults.

The study emphasizes the critical need for consistent access to medications for chronic conditions to prevent exacerbations and minimize absenteeism in school and work.

Dr. Kao-Ping Chua, the study's lead researcher, urged policymakers to consider the negative impacts of potential Medicaid funding cuts on chronic disease management among young people.

To mitigate these disruptions, the study suggests exploring alternative coverage options for those disenrolled and advocating for Medicaid expansion in states that have not yet done so.

The research, funded by CHEAR and the National Institute of Health, was published in the journal Pediatrics and utilized national prescription data from IQVIA, covering 92% of prescriptions filled in U.S. pharmacies.