State explains how it plans to fix Medicaid card error

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The state has released new information about what it's doing to fix a massive Medicaid problem, after it sent thousands of children's Medicaid cards to wrong addresses.

Because of new eligibility rules and requirements that began Jan. 1, around 70,253 children were switched from NC Health Choice to Medicaid. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services had to send those kids new Medicaid cards, but 48,752 were sent to the wrong addresses on Monday.

"It's terrible," Donna Anthony said.

The incorrect card showed personal information: the child's name, date of birth, Medicaid ID number and the child's doctor.

"There goes privacy," Anthony said.

People in North Carolina are worried for them.

"It's so sad for the children," Melissa Shepard said. "And it's sad for people around the world who see the example our government is setting."

DHHS announced that it will have staff working through the weekend to get people the right Medicaid cards. Workers are hoping to stop any potential fraud.

They said the kids will be issued new Medicaid ID numbers, and the cards sent to the wrong addresses will be invalid. They say they'll be alerted if the compromised cards are used.

WSOC