Child Medicaid enrollment down 2.56 million; employer plans must honor 60-day special enrollment requests
Key points
- Child Medicaid and CHIP enrollment fell by a net 2.56 million from January 2025 to August 2026.
- The figure is a net decline, not a count of children losing coverage who are eligible for employer plans.
- Group health plans must allow enrollment within 60 days after Medicaid or CHIP coverage ends; most other special enrollment events have a 30-day window.
Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families says Medicaid and CHIP enrollment among children fell by 2.56 million between January 2025 and August 2026. This is a net decline and not a count of children losing coverage. Under Department of Labor guidance, group health plans must allow eligible employees or dependents to enroll if requested within 60 days after Medicaid or CHIP coverage ends; most other special enrollment events carry a 30-day window.
What employers should do
- Review group health plan special enrollment rules to ensure requests made within 60 days after Medicaid or CHIP coverage ends are accepted.
Original report: Human Resources Director ↗AI-assisted brief; may contain inaccuracies. Rely on the original reports and official documents. For information only; not legal, immigration or insurance advice.