Behind the numbers: The impact of Medicaid 'unwinding' in Georgia

The state of Georgia is currently redetermining eligibility requirements for Medicaid and Peach Care for Kids. Nearly 3 million people in Georgia receive Medicaid health insurance, but that number has been slowly decreasing as thousands of people are being dropped as the state reevaluates who's eligible. (Photo courtesy of Hush Naidoo Jade photography)

The state of Georgia is currently redetermining eligibility requirements for Medicaid and Peach Care for Kids.

Nearly 3 million people in Georgia receive Medicaid health insurance, but that number has been slowly decreasing as thousands of people are being dropped as the state reevaluates who’s eligible. This is due to a pandemic-era rule that protected people from losing their Medicaid coverage.

The process of evaluating eligibility is known as Medicaid “unwinding.”

On Thursday’s edition of “Closer Look” show host Rose Scott talks with Leah Chan, the director of health justice for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, Santiago Marquez, the CEO of Atlanta’s Latin American Association, and Brittney Newton, the senior policy analyst for Voices for Georgia’s Children, about the population groups who are losing coverage and the long-term potential impact.

The guests also talked about the steps the state of Georgia can take to reduce the number of households losing coverage and what Medicaid recipients can do to keep their coverage.