New features make complex health insurance eligibility information more accessible to the public
Bridging information gaps is one of the best outcomes of an increasingly digital world. The benefits of access and ease of use afforded by tech giants like Google can do wonders for leveling the playing field and contributing to health equity.
A Google search for something as simple as “Medicaid Eligibility” can return hundreds of millions of results in a fraction of a second. In the not-so-distant past, those results were mostly unfiltered, giving users more information than needed, and putting the onus on them to determine what was relevant to their needs. You could spend hours sorting through Medicaid eligibility information and completing documents only to find out that you were looking at a webpage for the wrong state.
Today, a search feature in Google allows individuals to submit queries for Medicare and Medicaid information in their state and receive tailored information at the top of the results page. In essence, users receive filtered results, based on their geographic location, that include information about eligibility, application and log in information. In addition to these search filters, individuals can more easily see which providers are in-network via tags in Google Maps.
This initiative is well-timed since the upcoming unwinding of the Medicaid continuous enrollment requirement, established as part of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), is estimated to put as many as 14 million people at risk of losing eligibility for benefits. A recent survey from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reported nearly 65 percent of adults in Medicaid-enrolled families had heard “nothing at all” about the possibility of losing their coverage in the coming weeks. Google’s new feature will allow these families more immediate access to eligibility information. Increased transparency may directly impact the anticipated coverage loss by allowing families to more easily compare their situation with the pre-PHE requirements and prepare any documentation well in advance of their state’s Medicaid redetermination deadlines.
According to Google executives, this feature is meant to reduce the amount of time users spend sifting through webpages to make informed decisions about care options. Google has rolled out similar functionality for other public programs like Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and electronic benefit transfer (EBT).
At FEI, we applaud Google’s efforts to use their influence on the digital landscape to increase health equity and reduce barriers for vulnerable populations. We care about accessibility of information and support initiatives that contribute to helping individuals receive the care and services they need to thrive.
