Nearly 600,000 Georgians removed from Medicaid since last May

ATLANTA — Until May 2023, the U.S. government expanded who could qualify for the medical coverage programs as a result of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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When the emergency declaration for the U.S. officially ended in May, states went back to business as usual in terms of who qualified for the government-operated medical benefits.

That’s why Georgia, and the rest of the United States, began what’s called the Medicaid unwinding process. As of the end of February, nearly 600,000 Georgians have lost their Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage, since the start of the unwinding process in May 2023.

Before the unwinding process began, the Georgia State Auditor estimated roughly 545,000 Georgians would lose coverage through lack of eligibility. By Feb. 29, state officials reported 594,996 had lost their medical insurance, whether it was through Medicaid or CHIP.

CLICK HERE to read the original story by WSB-TV.

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