Medicaid "Unwinding" Data Show Persistent Delays for Families, Underuse of Data-Driven Renewals, and More

The latest state data on the “unwinding” of pandemic-era Medicaid rules show that Texas ranks last in the US for using data-driven "ex parte" Medicaid renewals. The state's failure to use data-driven enrollment and renewals means that Texas relies more on slow and inaccurate manual processes — often creating roadblocks and delays for Texas families.

During the unwinding, the state has removed over 1.2 million Texans from Medicaid health insurance through procedural denials in addition to 600,000 Texans who were confirmed ineligible, according to the latest data. The 1.2 million removed for procedural reasons likely includes many Texans who are still eligible and many who are no longer eligible.

The data also show persistent delays in processing applications submitted by families. For example, over 38,000 Medicaid applications that were submitted by March 2023 — nearly a year ago! — have not been processed by the state yet.