Florida Faces Class-Action Lawsuit over Medicaid Enrollment practices During and After COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

In August, attorneys representing Medicaid beneficiaries filed a potential class-action lawsuit against Florida, alleging that the state did not adequately inform individuals before terminating their enrollment in the healthcare program. The lawsuit was amended in January and is now set for trial on May 13, as ordered by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard based in Jacksonville.

The basis of the lawsuit lies in the conclusion of the federal public health emergency declared in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, Medicaid saw a significant increase in beneficiaries due to an inability to drop individuals who might not typically qualify based on income levels. However, following the end of the emergency period, Florida implemented an eligibility “redetermination” process which resulted in hundreds of thousands of individuals being removed from the program. Enrollment currently stands at around 4.8 million as of February, according to data published on the state Agency for Health Care Administration website.