Covenant hosting event for Lubbock patients at risk of losing Medicaid coverage

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Millions of Texans may be at risk of losing their health care coverage as COVID-era benefits come to an end.

Continuous Medicaid coverage ended last month, and the re-determination process began on Apr. 1.

Covenant will be hosting an information session on Apr. 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Guadalupe Somerville Community Center.

“The COVID-19 public health emergency that expanded access to Medicaid over the past three years will be coming to an end on May 11,” Health Equity Program Manager for Covenant Health Brett Thigpen said.

That’s when the clock starts for more than 80 million Medicaid patients across Texas.

“That starts the 30-day timeline window in which people have to go through this entire process,” Thigpen said.

A process that hasn’t been necessary due to the continuous coverage enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thigpen says this process will likely affect thousands of patients here on the South Plains.

“We do expect this re-determination process to affect anywhere between 30,000 and 50,000 people,” Thigpen said. “Just here in the Lubbock area.”

Representatives from different Medicaid managed care organizations will be on site to help patients determine their eligibility and process enrollments.

“We want to do everything that we can to help educate them and assist them through that process,” Thigpen said. “To make sure that they can stay as healthy as possible.”

Thigpen says most people covered by Medicaid in Texas are children, but the program also provides benefits for elderly and low-income patients.

“Our main goal here is just to make sure that the vulnerable members of our local population here don’t lose access to health care coverage when it can be avoided,” Thigpen said.

Those who can’t make it to the event can still reach out to financial counseling teams at the hospital. Dial 211, or click here for more information.

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