Transition-age foster youth, especially those with disabilities, need continuous Medicaid coverage

JoAnn S. Lee, associate professor in the UB School of Social Work, co-authored an article in Health Affairs about the need to provide continuous Medicaid coverage for youth transitioning out of foster care, especially those with disabilities. Under the Affordable Care Act, former foster care children (FFCC) are eligible for Medicaid until age 26, regardless of income level.

“Given the medical and behavioral health needs of many FFCC with disabilities in particular, state policymakers must act in the best interests of FFCC by streamlining Medicaid re-enrollment processes as these youth navigate the challenging transition to adulthood,” Lee and her co-authors write. “As was demonstrated in the COVID-19 public health emergency, it is already possible to re-enroll FFCC automatically without the burden of recipient applications and paperwork gathering for what is guaranteed under the law.”