Public Health Emergency is Ending. Check Your Mail for Important Medicaid Information!

January 2020 started the beginning of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) as a response to the increased need for health coverage during Covid 19. The PHE awarded additional money to US states to help fund the increased need for Medicaid. The PHE also protected Medicaid enrollees from involuntary disenrollment during this time.

Recently the Department of Health and Human Services has shared the plan to transition out of the PHE by May 11, 2023.  The end of the PHE means that as many as 14 million could lose their Medicaid health coverage according to an article by Desidre McPipplis. There are some steps that you can take to decrease the chances of disruption in your benefits. The first thing to do is make sure your states Medicaid agency has your most current contact information so that you do not miss important Medicaid letters. Not reporting these contact changes could lead to disruption of your benefits and may require you to reapply.

The next step is to be on the lookout for a letter from your states Medicaid agency. These letters will let you know if and when it is time for you to complete what is commonly referred to as a re-determination. The re-determinations are a simple way for the state to verify that you still meet the eligibility for your benefits. Depending on the state, these re-determinations are simple and easy to complete and often can be done via mail, over the phone or even online. If you are in jeopardy of losing your Medicaid, Healthcare.gov would be a good place to start your search for new health coverage. If you are in need of help with navigating your Medicaid re-determination or need help with a Healthcare.gov application, you can reach out to our Care Coordinator.