25 million people lost Medicaid after the COVID-19 pandemic — and state policies shaped who stayed covered

Medicaid enrollment surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people covered by Medicaid rose month after month – an unusual pattern for the government’s insurance program for people with low incomes and disabilities.

Why? A policy of continuous coverage during the pandemic essentially halted Medicaid disenrollment to make it easier for people to stay insured during the public health emergency. By early 2023, enrollment had reached an all-time high of more than 94 million people.