Unwinding Medicaid in Rhode Island

Deputy Director Kristin Sousa, made a special appearance at December’s Virtual Coffee Break with Drs. Flanagan and Lange, where she reviewed the plans for Medicaid’s renewals for households with children. As of April 1, 2023, Medicaid renewals restarted in Rhode Island with a staggered implementation. Households with children under 19 years old enrolled in Medicaid will get renewal notices sometime between December 2023 and April 2024. If the state knows the Medicaid member’s income and other information needed to decide that they’re still eligible and the information is correct, coverage will continue automatically. Roughly 80% of children currently enrolled in Medicaid meet these criteria. If the state doesn’t have enough information to determine a Medicaid member’s eligibility, they will receive a yellow-highlighted  notice indicating that action is required. Deputy Director Sousa laid out all the ways these members could submit the additional documentation requested and explained the process if members are no longer eligible for Medicaid. She also responded to questions from meeting participants. Those who were unable to attend December’s Virtual Coffee Break with Drs. Flanagan and Lange, can watch the recording and view the presentation. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics has additional resources to share.