MACON, Ga. — According to the Georgia Department of Community Health, over 95,000 Georgians lost their Medicaid health coverage in June 2023. This happened after the state updated its Medicaid rolls last year.
Eugene Jackson has been on Medicaid for 10 years. He says he has it because of his disability and it's important to have the coverage.
"It helps me with everything I go to the doctor. I don't have no co-pay," Jackson said.
For Jackson, he can get to his doctor's appointments, go to the dentist and have home health services and it all costs him less. Without it, Jackson would pay more than $4,000 for home health care.
Because of the updated Medicaid rolls, the state told Georgians on Medicaid they will need to reapply, but Eric Bell with Peach State Health Plan says "a lot of members did not receive their information" about the recertification and lost coverage.
According to the state health department, almost 3 million Georgians need their cases assessed. Due to limited staffing, the assessment process has been slow.
In December, the Department of Human Services received $54 million to help support the Medicaid recertification process. This also included hiring more staff, improve their support center and process improvements.
Bell says First Choice Primary Care will help make sure central Georgians don't fall through the cracks with their Redetermination Event at Macon-Bibb County Health Department on Feb. 15.
"They would actually be onsite giving information, certifying members on-site," Bell said.
During COVID, Medicaid members didn't need to recertify like they would do in years prior. The recertification process would happen yearly.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 2.4 million Georgians were enrolled in Medicaid. Bell says he has seen how Medicaid coverage can help people.
"Especially in the area of mental illness. That is one of the primary areas that we focus in. So overall it is medical coverage," Bell said.
You will need to meet basic requirements to apply for Medicaid like being low-income, disabled or under 18 years old. You can find out more about eligibility for Medicaid here.