Racial Disparities in Medicaid Reenrollment

WHEREAS, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has a longstanding commitment to ensuring equity in healthcare access for all communities, particularly for African Americans and other people of color; and

WHEREAS, Medicaid is a critical program providing healthcare coverage to millions of low-income individuals and families, disproportionately benefiting communities of color due to systemic economic and health disparities; and

WHEREAS, Medicaid and Medicare were not explicitly enacted as civil rights laws in 1965. However, they played a significant role in advancing civil rights and desegregating hospitals to ensure equal access to healthcare; and

WHEREAS, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reported that African Americans make up 34% of the Medicaid population despite being only 13% of the U.S. population, and Hispanics representing 30% of enrollees despite being 18% of the population; and

WHEREAS, Racial disparities in Medicaid reenrollment exacerbate health inequities, as studies indicate that African American and Hispanic individuals face higher rates of disenrollment and barriers to reenrollment compared to their white counterparts, leading to gaps in coverage and increased health risks; and

WHEREAS, Administrative burdens, such as complex reenrollment procedures, attestation of employment, insufficient outreach, language barriers, and state Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) offices, such as Indiana, instructing Medicaid providers to cease advertising, disproportionately impact people of color, contributing to higher rates of procedural disenrollment in these communities; and

WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and intensified existing disparities in healthcare access, with communities of color experiencing higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and mortality, further underscoring the urgent need for equitable access to Medicaid and other health services; and

WHEREAS, Policy interventions such as simplifying and automating reenrollment processes, enhancing outreach efforts, providing multilingual support, and addressing social determinants of health are essential to reduce disparities and ensure continuous coverage for all eligible individuals.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP reaffirms the Protecting and Expanding Medicaid Now into the Future Resolution of 2023 and calls upon federal and state governments to implement policies and practices that reduce administrative burdens in Medicaid reenrollment, particularly for communities of color.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP urges the CMS to collect and publicly report data on Medicaid disenrollment and reenrollment by race and ethnicity to monitor and address disparities.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP advocates for increased funding for communitybased organizations to provide education, outreach, and assistance with Medicaid reenrollment in underserved communities.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports legislative and regulatory efforts to automate, simplify, and streamline Medicaid reenrollment processes, including automatic reenrollment for eligible individuals, paperless renewal options, and reduce documentation requirements.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP reaffirms its commitment to fighting for healthcare equity and will continue to work with policymakers, healthcare providers, and community organizations to address and eliminate racial disparities in Medicaid reenrollment and broader healthcare access.