The Family Support Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services (MDSS) met the Sept. 30 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS) deadline for it to reduce the application processing time that low-income Missourians experience when seeking government-funded health insurance, according to a local healthcare and public benefits attorney.
“Earlier in the year, I had clients who had been waiting 90 days or more for their applications to process but I haven't encountered that recently so it seems to me that they've been able to assure those application times, which is great,” said Ed Kolkebeck, staff attorney with Mid-Missouri Legal Services in Columbia.
Wait times had stretched to more than 100 days after voters statewide approved a ballot initiative in 2020 that permanently expanded Medicaid to include more low-income adults.
Federal guidelines require approval for MO HealthNet benefits within 45 days.
“It's beneficial for everyone involved to have an efficient system for people to complete applications and have their applications processed timely,” Kolkebeck told the St. Louis Record.
The MO HealthNet Oversight Committee, which has been tracking improvements, last met in August and issued a report.
“I don't know the exact involvement that they have with the state but I think there's always some involvement because this state receives federal funding for Medicaid,” Kolkebeck said. “That's always been the case.”
Medicaid expansion under MO HealthNet program began last October, with 270,000 new applicants reportedly having applied for the benefit.
“From what I understand, they've tried to hire more workers and have existing staff moved over to work on Medicaid applications to get the timeline shorter for processing,” Kolkebeck said.
The Office of Administration reported that DSS has money budgeted to employ some 6,600 workers but, as previously reported in the St. Louis Record, members of the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a proposed constitutional amendment in April that will remand the approved ballot initiative back to Missourians once again.
“If anyone is having issues with the application process or any other questions related to Medicaid, they should contact the legal aid office that covers their county limit,” Kolkebeck added.