Overview

• States with the highest Medicaid disenrollment rates saw increased disruptions in chronic disease medication access for children and young adults.
• Young adults aged 19 to 25 were disproportionately affected, with higher rates of prescription interruptions for asthma, epilepsy, and behavioral health conditions.
• Children in states with the largest Medicaid and CHIP enrollment drops faced inconsistent access to critical medications, with many families switching to private insurance or cash payments.
• Buprenorphine prescriptions for opioid addiction treatment declined in states aggressively reducing Medicaid rolls, raising concerns about increased overdose risks.
• Administrative barriers, such as missed income-verification deadlines, were the primary drivers of Medicaid disenrollments, highlighting systemic issues in the unwinding process.