110,000 Kansans lost Medicaid during 'unwinding' process

KANSAS (KSNT) - More than 110,000 Kansans have lost healthcare coverage during the post-pandemic Medicaid ‘unwinding’ process, according to new state data.

Christine Osterlund, Medicaid Director and Deputy Secretary told a Kancare oversight committee on Aug. 26 that Kansas finished its unwinding process in May this year. Unwinding data released in April 2024 indicated that 526,976 Kansans were sent renewal notices. During this period, Medicaid enrollment was reduced by 114,000.

Osterlund said the reduced enrollment number was 'well within our range... that we thought'. A new tool was implemented in July 2024 to help expedite the renewal process. You can read up on eligibility by clicking here.

Earlier this year, Kansas Capitol Bureau spoke with April Holman, Executive Director of Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, a coalition of organizations that support KanCare expansion. Holman said some people could face obstacles during the ‘unwinding’ process, as the state returns to pre-pandemic policies.

“People receiving Medicaid would need to have their eligibility re-determined," Holman said. "That was put on pause during the pandemic…that’s going back into effect now. Individuals who are receiving care through Medicaid have not had to do this in three years in some cases. KanCare doesn’t have their updated address to communicate with them and people are just out of the practice of doing this.”

Health policy research outlet KFF has been keeping track of Medicaid enrollment during the unwinding process. According to KFF, at least 25,061,000 Americans were disenrolled from Medicaid throughout the process. In Kansas, there was a 34% disenrollment rate.

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