Ensuring children have health insurance coverage to keep them safe and healthy is critical. About half of the nation’s children are covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). However, students across the country who rely on this coverage for health insurance right now risk losing it due to the ending of the public health emergency. Schools can play a key role in ensuring that doesn’t happen.
Since the pandemic’s public health emergency began in March 2020, children and families enrolled in Medicaid have not been required to complete renewal paperwork to stay covered. This continuous coverage ended April 1, 2023, and states have resumed reviewing eligibility for all people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP to ensure they still qualify.
During this process, known as the “unwinding,” it is estimated that over 5 million children are at risk of losing their health insurance coverage despite most of them continuing to be eligible for Medicaid or CHIP. It’s estimated that the uninsured rate for children could easily more than double unless we take action.
Kaiser Permanente, as well as other healthcare providers, are working to ensure individuals covered by Medicaid and CHIP do not lose coverage. Our resources on kp.org/staycovered and this Medicaid redetermination explanation video support partners in their efforts to keep eligible individuals covered.
Schools are one of those partners and can play a key role in supporting students and their families in maintaining and enrolling in coverage. School staff and district administrators are some of the most consistent, trusted messengers with established methods of communicating critical information to families.
Here are some important resources to learn more:
- Informational webinars and resources on the HCA End of Public Health Emergency (PHE) website.
- General information and links to resources: kp.org/staycovered
- Medicaid redetermination explanation video (3:45)
- Medicaid Unwinding Toolkit from The School Superintendents Association (AASA)
- Kaiser Permanente's Blog on Protecting Students from Losing Medicaid Coverage
You are welcome and encouraged to use these resources even if you don’t have Kaiser Permanente in your area. If you have further questions, contact Jill Patnode, Senior Community Health Manager, Kaiser Permanente of Washington.