California has experienced a decline of over 850,000 people from its public health insurance programs since COVID-19 related healthcare guarantees expired, according to new data from health policy research organization KFF.
The state's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment fell from approximately 14.3 million to 13.4 million during the 18 months leading to October 2024, marking a 6% decrease.
While concerning, California's reduction rate remains lower than other populous states like Florida and Texas. The state's disenrollment rate of 19% sits well below the national average of 31%.
Research indicates many lost coverage not due to ineligibility but because of confusion about the process, poor communication from state agencies, and administrative hurdles preventing timely renewals.
The shift stems from the end of "continuous enrollment" protections established in early 2020 through The Families First Coronavirus Response Act. This measure prevented states from removing individuals from Medicaid and CHIP during the public health emergency.
When these protections expired in March 2023, states began reviewing eligibility. California implemented automatic renewal systems to help maintain coverage where possible, leading to fewer disruptions than initially predicted.
Despite the recent decrease, California's public health insurance enrollment remains 1.8 million higher (16%) than pre-pandemic levels from February 2020.
Ben Anderson from consumer advocacy group Families USA praised California's approach, noting: "We have seen some amazing coverage expansion in places like Oregon and California. But if you live in Texas, Florida, and Georgia, since the pandemic your health coverage has been disrupted in ways that were preventable by state leaders."
While the eligibility review process is largely complete, KFF reports some states continue finalizing determinations for Medicaid coverage.