Over the past 30 years, I’ve worked with thousands of young children in Minneapolis as an occupational therapist. Through our programs at The Family Partnership, I meet with children who are lagging behind in their developmental milestones including language, motor, cognitive, social-emotional and behavioral skills – milestones that have been more challenging to reach because of the pandemic. Our goal at The Family Partnership is to help every child become as functional and independent as they can be.
Most of the children we work with access developmental therapies and other health care thanks to Medicaid and MinnesotaCare, just like 42% of children statewide. Yet many children face the risk of losing coverage and their families and caregivers may not even realize it.
On March 31 the continuous enrollment provision for Medicaid came to an end, which means families need to renew their eligibility for the first time since 2020. During the pandemic, federal law allowed all states, including Minnesota, to postpone annual eligibility reviews. However, as this provision unwinds, 1.5 million Minnesotans will be required once again to verify their eligibility and renew their coverage each year.
Problems with workforce staffing and readiness, out-of-date enrollee contact information, language barriers and other hindrances including housing instability could result in massive coverage losses and gaps beginning August 1, 2023. Experts at the Minnesota Department of Human Services estimate that 15% to 30% of enrollees may lose coverage. Of those, approximately 30-50% will likely re-enroll but may experience gaps in coverage that would be detrimental to families depending on Medicaid for necessary health care services.
For young children in developmental therapies, losses or gaps in coverage will derail hard-won progress. Early childhood is a critical time for brain development and sets the foundation for lifelong outcomes in health, relationships and careers. For children with developmental delays, repetition and consistency are particularly important to therapeutic success. Disruptions can lead to “cascading consequences” in a child’s life including lower academic achievement and challenging interpersonal relations.
That is why we need all teachers, physicians, social workers and other adults who work with children and families to help amplify this information. The more families who know how to stay enrolled, the less children will lose access to therapy, prescriptions and other health care services.
You can help families find support for eligibility renewals by sharing the Renew My Coverage page from the Minnesota Department of Human Services at mn.gov/dhs/renewmycoverage/, where you can:
- Report address and phone number changes
- Look up when your renewal takes place
- Learn what to do when you receive renewal paperwork in the mail
- Get text messages when you need to take action
- Access support from your health plan or navigator
- Find contact information for your county or tribal agency
The Family Partnership is currently working with clients to update contact information and understand the renewal process and help all community members find support for their questions.
This Medicaid eligibility renewal effort requires all hands-on deck. For as many Minnesotans who are enrolled in Medical Assistance, there are many more of us who work and live alongside enrollees. By staying informed and amplifying resources, we can protect eligible families from loss of coverage – and help children build the skills they need to thrive.
Sandy Klein-Mirviss is the director of Developmental Therapies at The Family Partnership, a 144-year-old Minneapolis nonprofit providing services and advocacy in early childhood, mental health, family home visiting and anti-sex trafficking.
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