Pandemic era healthcare efforts in Kentucky are being applauded. The commonwealth's Medicaid program was one of just six states to win a 2022 Medicaid Innovation Award. The recognition comes from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Academy for State Health Policy.
The agency won for its presumptive eligibility program that allowed more people to get Medicaid benefits during the pandemic.
Lisa Lee is Commissioner for the Department of Medicaid Services. She said during the pandemic they learned that the state had more uninsured people than they thought.
“Kentucky does have a pretty low rate of uninsured, we have one of the lowest in the nation which is I believe right now under ten percent. But there were a lot of individuals who didn’t even know that they may qualify for Medicaid because the eligibility process does get somewhat complicated,” said Lee.
Lee said Kentucky has more people participating in Medicaid now than they had before the pandemic.
“But I say it’s really nothing to boast about because that means the 1.6 million people we cover under Medicaid in Kentucky live at or below the federal poverty level. So, while it’s a good thing that they’re enrolled in the program and they can access healthcare services, they do live at or below the poverty level,” said Lee.
Lee said there are now 300,000 more Kentuckians enrolled in Medicaid than there were before the pandemic. The Medicaid Commissioner said some of those people would be unenrolled in Medicaid once the federal government calls an end to the public health emergency around COVID.
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