Kansas officials say they’re working to address problems that led to a high number of residents being kicked off Medicaid rolls because of paperwork issues. After a three-year pause on Medicaid Dis-Enrollments was lifted this spring, some Kansans lost coverage due to slow mail and long wait times on the telephone. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment told lawmakers it caused some members to not be able to return their renewal form by the deadline, for reasons outside of their control. They say the department increased staffing and reduced its average call hold time from 43 minutes in April to 10 minutes in August. The agency says 78,000 Kansans lost Medicaid coverage between May and July and about 60,000 were due to paperwork issues. Unfortunately, a majority of those who lost coverage were children.
