SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Across the nation, Medicaid has been “unwinding,” removing individuals from its rolls following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. But New Mexico’s administrators say they are extending coverage for certain individuals.
The state received federal approval to extend coverage for seniors receiving long-term care and people with disabilities. The extension will last 12 months, the state says.
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“We are committed to reducing barriers to health care services for our most vulnerable Medicaid members,” Kari Armijo, cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD), said in a press release. “By securing this federal flexibility, we aim to ensure that every eligible individual receives the health care they need.”
The federally approved extension applies to programs including the Community Benefit, Developmental Disabilities Waiver, Mi Via Waiver, Supports Waiver, and the Medically Fragile Waiver, HSD says. Eligibility includes individuals whose renewals were due after April 1, 2023 and were not yet processed; eligibility also requires individuals to have an active “Level of Care” on file.