Letter to Governors on Unwinding
Thank you for your continued partnership in this unprecedented time, as we continue to respond
to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. On April 12, 2022, Secretary Becerra
renewed the determination that we are in a national public health emergency (PHE). The PHE
has been in place for more than two years and our experience has emphasized how critical it is to
have comprehensive health care coverage. Since February 2020, enrollment in Medicaid and the
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has grown by over 16 million and has reached a
record high – nearly 87 million people as of January 2022. A key reason for this is that states
have not terminated enrollment for most individuals enrolled in Medicaid since March of 2020,
nor will they do so until after the month in which the PHE concludes, as a condition of receiving
enhanced federal Medicaid funding as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of
2020.
Issued by: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Issue Date: May 10, 2022
DISCLAIMER: The contents of this database lack the force and effect of law, except as authorized by law (including Medicare Advantage Rate Announcements and Advance Notices) or as specifically incorporated into a contract. The Department may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not posted on the guidance repository, except to establish historical facts.