2023 Medicaid Journey Snapshot Survey

Key Findings

• 39% may lose or are not sure if they will lose their Medicaid coverage

• 54% currently on Medicaid have not seen a notification regarding their Medicaid status

• 49% do not know if their state may be returning to the regular Medicaid renewal process beginning April 1, 2023

• 47% will take advantage of the ACA Special Enrollment Period to get coverage 

• 25% qualified for Medicaid for the first time due to American Rescue Plan (the New 2021 law expanded Medicaid, which allowed those to qualify for assistance)

39% of Americans may lose or are unsure if they will lose their Medicaid coverage, according to a new survey by Healthcare.com of 514 adults on Medicaid. An estimated 18 million Americans are expected to lose Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage within the year. 

Uncertainties Loom Among Beneficiaries and Their Qualifications

States will be allowed to resume the regular Medicaid renewal processes on April 1, 2023, after a period of continuous coverage due to the pandemic. Our survey found 49% do not know if their state may be returning to the regular Medicaid renewal process.

Some enrollees may be unaware or unprepared and will either keep their coverage or obtain new coverage. 29% of pollees heard a lot about this requirement, 46% heard some, and 25% heard nothing at all. 

Regarding Medicaid status in the last month, 54% said in the survey that they had not received a notification. 

ACA Subsidies and Alternative Coverage Options Entice Potential Enrollees

During the peak of the COVID pandemic, the Biden administration initiated a new 2021 law, within the American Rescue Plan, which expanded Medicaid, allowing new enrollees to qualify. 25% said they qualified for Medicaid for the first time because of this. 

When asked what next steps they will take to get health insurance if they lose Medicaid, 47% said they would take advantage of the Special Enrollment Period to get ACA coverage.

Last year, the federal government signed the Inflation Reduction Act provision, which expanded ACA subsidies and extended them to 2025. 59% of adults on Medicaid said they would qualify for lower ACA monthly premiums. 22% will look for alternative options (i.e., short-term plans, faith-based plans) if they lose their Medicaid coverage.

A Snapshot of Medicaid Utilization

Our team asked those on Medicaid to rank the services they utilized the most with their coverage. 

43% ranked prescription drugs as their most utilized service. 36% ranked preventive services (lab work, immunizations, doctor office visits, etc.) as their most utilized service. 15% ranked hospitalization (i.e, Emergency services, surgery, etc.) as their most utilized service on Medicaid. 48% ranked therapy (mental/physical) as their least utilized service on Medicaid. 

Compromises to Obtain Medical Coverage 

Our results found that these times of uncertainty can lead to new approaches to staying covered. 

To obtain or maintain health insurance, 28% said they would stay in a job they don’t like and keep job-based insurance. 17% will take a job they don’t want, and 12% will stay in an unhappy relationship or get married just for health insurance.

“Medicaid programs nationwide have seen their enrollment numbers climb in recent years from 1) the expansion of healthcare qualifications for ACA plans and Medicaid by the current administration, and 2) the suspension of normal income-based Medicaid eligibility during the COVID-19 pandemic”, said Howard Yeh, Co-Founder / President, Insurance at Healthcare.com. “As the public health emergency has ended, millions are slated to lose their Medicaid coverage due to the reinstatement of the redetermination rule. For those losing Medicaid eligibility, the ACA marketplace can offer low monthly premiums and essential benefits for individuals without other options.”

Methodology 

Healthcare.com conducted this survey utilizing a SurveyMonkey Audience on March 16 – 17, 2023, among a national sample of 512 U.S. adults on Medicaid. The modeled error estimate for this survey is plus or minus 2.0 percentage points. The sample was balanced for age, gender, and U.S. Region according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.