Medicaid Unwinding – Pushing Policymakers to Protect Families

Documenting Major Gaps in States Medicaid “Unwinding” Performance that Threaten Immigrants and their Family Members

This report includes the findings from a September 14 to October 16, 2023 survey of state advocates and community based organizations in 28 states. PIF found major gaps in how their states were addressing immigrant concerns, providing language access, publicly reporting data and engaging stakeholders in the unwinding renewal process. The report provides states with grades for their performance on each of these approaches.

Letter Urging the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to Hold States Accountable for Improving Medicaid Renewals for Immigrants and their Family Members

40 Members of the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition’s Steering Committee and Medicaid Unwinding Task Force signed this letter urging CMS to pause Medicaid “unwinding” in states that are out of compliance with federal law and policies. Medicaid eligibility determination processes in these states fail to address known barriers that could lead to eligible people in immigrant families losing Medicaid coverage. The letter asks CMS to use its authority to ensure that states:

• Do not request social security numbers and immigration status when it violates federal policy;
• Communicate renewal messages that address public charge and immigrant-related fears;
• Improve compliance with federal language access laws; and
• Report more specific data

Attached to the letter is a memo with more detailed asks and justifications.

Press Release