DENVER — Kristin Chadwick makes $487 too much and now she's not sure how she'll stay healthy.
The preschool teacher said she'll lose her Medicaid coverage at the end of the month because she now makes too much money to qualify and because federal pandemic protections haver expired after three years of keeping Chadwick -- and tens of thousands of other Coloradans -- enrolled in the insurance program.
"We need our medical benefit because it’s really is a life or death issue," she said.
Chadwick suffers from severe asthma and high blood pressure that puts her at risk of stroke, she said. Her insurance also supported her husband Mark who can't work because of injuries sustained in a car wreck.
The couple can list off more than a dozen prescription medications they must take to stay healthy and they're not sure how they're going to afford it when their insurance coverage ends Friday.
"Without my Medicaid coverage, being able to pay for those medications out of pocket is impossible. I won’t be able to," she said.
Federal pandemic protections, which expired earlier this year, kept 1.75 million people covered with automatic renewals for Health First Colorado – the state's Medicaid program – and for Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+). Now they must renew their coverage.
But even if people understand and fill out the renewal forms, the state estimates 300,000 people will not qualify for coverage and will need to find other insurance.
Now, the state said people must complete, sign and return a renewal form to maintain their coverage. If they don't, they will be disenrolled at the end of the month that marks their coverage anniversary.
"Something like COVID protections going away shouldn’t be a reason why thousands upon thousands of people in the state of Colorado will probably be in a life or death situation like mine," Chadwick said.
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