.png)
ALASKA MEDICAID TRACKER
IMPACT. RESOURCES. NEWS.
.png)
UPDATES
IMPACTS ON YOUR COMMUNITY
AT A GLANCE
250k Alaskans (30%) are covered by Medicaid.
Alaska received $2 Billion for Medicaid in 2023. The newly passed bill will cut $1.4 Billion.
Alaska currently has some of the worst health care access in the country.
Adults insured with Medicaid are least likely to report having medical debt.
COSTS
If Congress decreases federal matching funds for Medicaid, AK would need to come up with $145 million to maintain coverage.
If AK doesn't cover the amount cut from federal funds, more residents will be uninsured and the costs of providing this care will further strain state and local budgets.
CHANGES
Reduced funding to the state of Alaska for Medicaid will cause many residents to lose coverage.
Eligibility checks for Medicaid will be more frequent (submitting forms, getting clearance).
Albe-bodied adults will need to complete 80 hours of community engagement monthly to maintain benefits.
Cuts to Medicaid will lead to a likely loss of 1.2 Million jobs nationwide by 2029.
TIMELINE
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
1
$50B in Rural Provider Relief Fund awards approved for funding (FY 2026–2030), and Alaska will be notified how much of that money our state will receive. (§ 71401)
By December 31, 2025
2
Enhanced Premium Tax Credits will expire. These subsidize monthly premiums for marketplace insurance, and Alaska's marketplace premiums will increase.
By December 31, 2025
3
Special Enrollment Periods (based on income) are eliminated for people buying coverage on the Marketplace Insurance Exchange. (§ 71304)
By January 1, 2026
4
Tax filing required: Individuals who didn’t file taxes and reconcile their Advance Premium Tax Credits last year lose eligibility for those premium subsidies. (§ 71305)
By January 1, 2026
5
Non-citizen restrictions: Green card holders in their first five years (and others under the “Medicaid 5-year bar”) can no longer get premium tax credits, which subsidize marketplace insurance premiums. (§ 71302)
By January 1, 2026
6
Emergency Medicaid funding cut: Federal match reduced from 90% to standard Medicaid rates for people not lawfully admitted for permanent residence. (§ 71110)
By October 1, 2026
7
Eligibility narrowed: Medicaid and CHIP limited to U.S. citizens, green card holders, certain Cubans and Haitians, and COFA residents. States may still cover children under 21 and pregnant women at their option. (§ 71109)
By October 1, 2026
8
More frequent checks: Medicaid expansion enrollees face semi-annual redeterminations. (§ 71107)
By January 1, 2027
9
Work requirements start: States must enforce “community engagement” rules (with a one-year hardship waiver possible). (§ 71119)
By January 1, 2027
10
Marketplace penalty: People denied Medicaid for not meeting work rules also lose eligibility for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions that would reduce the cost of their marketplace premiums. (§ 71119)
By January 1, 2027
11
Immigrant coverage cut: Premium tax credits no longer available for most lawfully present immigrants, except green card holders, certain Cubans and Haitians, and COFA residents. (§ 71301)
By January 1, 2027
12
Retroactive coverage reduced:
-
Traditional Medicaid - 2 months before enrollment.
-
Expansion adults → only 1 month before enrollment. (§ 71112)
By January 1, 2027
13
Quarterly death checks: States must remove deceased beneficiaries from Medicaid rolls. (§ 71104)
By January 1, 2027
14
Medicare eligibility restricted to U.S. citizens, green card holders, certain Cubans and Haitians, and COFA residents. (§ 71201)
By January 4, 2027
15
No more passive enrollment: State Marketplaces must verify eligibility before approving tax credits or cost-sharing reductions. (§ 71303)
By January 1, 2028
16
No automatic re-enrollment: All Marketplace users must re-verify eligibility each year. (§ 71303)
By January 1, 2028
17
Quarterly death checks for providers: States must remove deceased providers from Medicaid rolls. (§ 71105)
By January 1, 2027
18
Cost-sharing required: States must impose co-pays or similar costs for Medicaid expansion adults with incomes above 100% of the federal poverty line. (§ 71120)
By January 1, 2028
19
Cross-state checks required: States must submit enrollee Social Security numbers to a federal system to prevent people from being enrolled in Medicaid in more than one state. (§ 71103)
By October 1, 2029
20
Error tolerance reduced: States with Medicaid payment error rates above 3% will no longer get “good faith” waivers for excess payments flagged under the PERM program. (§ 71106)
By October 1, 2030
.png)
.png)
BASICS
HOW IT ALL STARTED
BASICALLY
-
Medicaid is a health care program funded by states and the federal government that provides coverage to over 70 million Americans.
-
In most states, the Federal Government provides at least 50% of the funding for Medicaid.
-
In states, Medicaid has different names: Badger Care in WI, MassHealth in MA.
PEOPLE
-
The majority of people on Medicaid are Seniors, People with Disabilities, Children, and Low-Wage Workers.
ADVANCED
-
Established in 1965 as part of the Social Security Act to provide health coverage for low-income individuals and families.
