Let’s Talk New Mexico 7/27 8am: During the pandemic Congress required that Medicaid programs keep people continuously enrolled throughout the public health emergency order. Under that order, over 900,000 people throughout New Mexico were enrolled in the public health insurance program that ensures the most vulnerable receive low cost healthcare.
But as of this May that order has ended and additional funding that allowed for more residents to qualify will no longer be available.
According to national data, many people lost coverage due to procedural reasons, like not returning paperwork to verify their eligibility or recipients couldn’t be located. This means that while many people are having their coverage terminated, they still qualify to receive Medicaid. In addition, of that group, many who have been dropped have been children.
This rings true locally as almost 60,000 New Mexicans have lost their insurance and that number could reach 100,000.
On this week’s show we’ll hear lawyers, state agencies, and experts about the toll on health outcomes, especially as the state was struggling beforehand. And we want to hear from you! Has your Medicaid coverage been terminated? What has that experience been like? Email letstalk@kunm.org , leave us a voice message by pressing “record” below, or call in live during the show Thursday morning at 8.
Guests:
-Alex Sanchez, spokesperson, BeWellnm
-Lorelei Kellogg, Acting Medical Assistance Division Director, New Mexico Human Services Department
-Sovereign Hager, Legal Director, New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty
-Gabby Rivera, Policy and Communications Coordinator, Health Action New Mexico
