We take our first look at Medicaid— the big, federally-funded health insurance program for folks with lower incomes— for two reasons: 


First, it’s a huge part of our health-care system. Medicaid covers a quarter of all Americans, and four in ten children. 


Second, it’s timely: In the last year, more than 20 million people have lost Medicaid — even though there’s evidence to suggest a lot of those people probably still qualify. 


More than two-thirds have been dropped for “procedural reasons” — basically, missing paperwork.


Of folks who’ve been dropped, 70 percent have ended up either uninsured, or — in most cases — back on Medicaid. 


This is all because of a process called “the unwinding” of COVID-emergency protections that kept folks from getting dropped at all for a few years. It’s been messy.


We’ve been hearing the stories of folks who got dropped, and their fights to get re-enrolled.  


In this episode, we hear about two families in Tennessee who lost coverage they were entitled to — including one family who lost their coverage after their mail got sent to a horse pasture — with help from KFF Health News reporter Brett Kelman. 


Here’s a transcript of this episode.


Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG.


Of course we’d love for you to support this show.

We take our first look at Medicaid— the big, federally-funded health insurance program for folks with lower incomes— for two reasons:&nbsp; First, it’s a huge part of our health-care system. Medicaid covers a quarter of all Americans, and four in ten children.&nbsp; Second, it’s timely: In the last year, <a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/medicaid-enrollment-and-unwinding-tracker-overview/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more than 20 million people have lost Medicaid</a> —&nbsp;even though there’s evidence to suggest a lot of those people probably still qualify.&nbsp; More than two-thirds have been dropped for “procedural reasons” — basically, missing paperwork. Of folks who’ve been dropped, <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/press-release/nearly-a-quarter-of-people-who-say-they-were-disenrolled-from-medicaid-during-the-unwinding-are-now-uninsured/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">70 percent have ended up</a> either uninsured, or — in most cases — back on Medicaid.&nbsp; This is all because of a process called “the unwinding” of COVID-emergency protections that kept folks from getting dropped at all for a few years. It’s <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-unwinding-disenrollment-redetermination-state-delays/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">been messy</a>. We’ve been hearing the stories of folks who got dropped, and their fights to get re-enrolled.&nbsp;&nbsp; In this episode, we hear about two families in Tennessee who lost coverage they were entitled to — including one family who lost their coverage after their mail got sent to a horse pasture — with help from KFF Health News reporter Brett Kelman.&nbsp; <a href="https://armandalegshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/S11-Ep07-Medicaid_Web-transcript.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Here’s a transcript of this episode</a>. <a href="https://armandalegshow.com/contact/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Send your stories and questions.</a> Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. Of course we’d love for you to <a href="https://armandalegshow.com/support/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">support this show</a>.

An Arm and a Leg is a podcast about why health care costs so freaking much and what we can (maybe) do about it.

If you’ve ever been surprised by a medical bill, you’re in good company. But as our team of seasoned journalists has learned from years of reporting — you’re not always helpless. We don’t have all the answers, but we’ll offer you tools and big picture insights with plenty of humor and heart. 

An Arm and a Leg is co-produced with KFF Health News and distributed in partnership with KUOW.

You can support An Arm and a Leg by donating at armandalegshow.com/support/

Show Credits: Created, hosted, and produced by Dan Weissmann with senior producer Emily Pisacreta and engagement producer Claire Davenport, edited by Ellen Weiss. Audio wizard: Adam Raymonda. Music is by Dave Weiner and Blue Dot Sessions. Bea Bosco is our consulting director of operations. Lynne Johnson is our operations manager.

An Arm and a Leg&nbsp;is a podcast about why health care costs so freaking much and what we can (maybe) do about it.
If you&rsquo;ve ever been surprised by a medical bill, you&rsquo;re in good company. But as our team of seasoned journalists has learned from years of reporting &mdash; you&rsquo;re not always helpless. We don&rsquo;t have all the answers, but we&rsquo;ll offer you tools and big picture insights with plenty of humor and heart.&nbsp;
An Arm and a Leg is co-produced with <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/">KFF Health News</a> and distributed in partnership with <a href="https://www.kuow.org/">KUOW</a>.
You can support An Arm and a Leg&nbsp;by donating at <a href="https://armandalegshow.com/support/">armandalegshow.com/support/</a>
<hr>
Show Credits:&nbsp;Created, hosted, and produced by Dan Weissmann with senior producer Emily Pisacreta and engagement producer Claire Davenport, edited by Ellen Weiss. Audio wizard: Adam Raymonda. Music is by Dave Weiner and Blue Dot Sessions. Bea Bosco is our consulting director of operations. Lynne Johnson is our operations manager.

An Arm and a Leg

The word “nightmare” came up a lot when we talked with a Tennessee mom.

Advertisement