The DeKalb County Senior Housing Coalition organized a health and housing symposium on Saturday aimed at assisting individuals in re-enrolling in Medicaid.
The event, which was free to attend, took place at the former Sam’s Club on Turner Hill Road. This marked the second time the symposium was hosted by the coalition, offering vital support to residents in obtaining or retaining critical health insurance coverage.
According to DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, more than 500,000 Georgians have lost their Medicaid coverage, with a significant portion unaware of this development.
“This is a serious crisis we’re facing, but what you see here today is a candle lit in the darkness,” Thurmond stated. “We’re not cursing the darkness, but we’re lighting a candle and showing that we can make a difference.”
Elizabeth Ford, healthcare advisor to Thurmond, highlighted that individuals typically need to reapply for Medicaid annually. However, this requirement was waived during the pandemic, leading to many recipients being unaware of the need to re-enroll.
“Once the pandemic was officially closed, now every single Medicaid recipient in the state has to re-enroll during this 14-month period,” Ford explained.
According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly 2.5 million Georgians are enrolled in Medicaid, including a significant portion of children and nursing home residents. Moreover, approximately 68% of non-elderly recipients are people of color.
Denise Belcher, an attendee at the event, emphasized its critical importance for individuals like herself. Medicaid benefits have enabled her to access a wheelchair, medical care, and necessary medications.
“It made me feel good,” Belcher expressed. “So, the ones that don’t have it or the ones that really need it, they need to come down to make sure their stuff is on.”
Ford hinted at the possibility of future events similar to this one, emphasizing the commitment to ensuring that Georgia’s adults and children continue to receive essential healthcare.
“Our first re-enrollment event in November served hundreds of residents, and we will continue our partnership to ensure that Georgia’s adults and children receive their critical healthcare,” Ford assured.
The symposium was made possible through collaboration between DeKalb County, the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, Emory Healthcare, PeachState, PeachCare for Kids, CareSource, and Amerigroup.
