Millions of people across the United States are at risk of dropping out of the Medicaid program in the coming days. But in the first phase, people in five US states are being excluded from the program, which will be effective from this April.
These five states are Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, New Hampshire and South Dakota.
According to a report by CNN, since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the US government has suspended the requirement to inquire about health insurance in providing health care. It also opens up access to better health care for people without health insurance. This program is known as Medicaid. Under this, especially low-income people, children, pregnant women, elderly and physically disabled people have been getting benefits so far.
However, on Saturday i.e. April 1, the government’s restrictions expire. And soon after the ban expired, five states—Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, New Hampshire, and South Dakota—began the process of dropping Medicaid from Medicaid services for people who were “ineligible” (those without health insurance) to receive public health care. Under this, the process of continuing the service or discharging the patients admitted to the hospital in these five states has already started.
The first phase began in April in five states, but will be implemented in 14 more states by May and 20 more states and the District of Columbia by June.
