National Report
Sick of Waiting: Barriers to Medicaid Keep Healthcare Out of Reach
While all people who are eligible for Medicaid are legally guaranteed coverage, many Americans who are eligible struggle to enroll in and maintain Medicaid coverage. To better understand the barriers faced by people trying to access Medicaid, the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD), CPD affiliates in Alaska, Arkansas, DC, Maryland, New Hampshire, Texas, and West Virginia, and researchers at Columbia University surveyed 1057 community members across the country about their experiences applying for Medicaid. We found widespread administrative and system barriers–such as long wait times, unhelpful representatives, calls being dropped, and feeling shame or stigma. This brief outlines our findings at the national level.
Partners: Center for Popular Democracy, Alaskans Take a Stand, Arkansas Community Organizations, SPACEs In Action, Opportunity Knocks Delaware, Rights & Democracy, Texas Organizing Project, and Our Future West Virginia