In August, a potential class-action lawsuit was filed by Medicaid beneficiaries against the state of Florida, alleging that they were not adequately informed before being removed from the healthcare program. The lawsuit was amended in January and is set to go to trial on May 13, as ruled by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard based in Jacksonville. The basis for the lawsuit stems from the conclusion of the federal public health emergency declared in 2020 due to COVID-19, which saw an increase in Medicaid beneficiaries from approximately 3.8 million in January 2020 to nearly 5.78 million in April 2023, partially due to the inability to drop individuals who might not typically qualify based on income levels. However, following the end of the public health emergency, Florida’s Medicaid program implemented an eligibility “redetermination” process that resulted in the removal of hundreds of thousands of individuals from the program, with enrollment standing at around 4.8 million as of February according to data published on the state Agency for Health Care Administration website.
Medicaid Redetermination Lawsuit Set for May Trial in Florida: Allegations of Insufficient Informing Beneficiaries
