Starting from April 1, 2023, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will begin rechecking eligibility for every Medicaid member within 12 months.
Status of Medicaid this March 2023
The move is part of the recent funding bill passed by Congress with significant changes to the Texas Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. The pandemic-era help that delinked from the Public Health Emergency (PHE) will end on March 31, 2023, after which many people may start getting disenrolled from Medicaid.
The rechecking process is set to affect all 5.9 million Texans on the Medicaid program, with about half of the members receiving their renewal packets in April, May, and June, according to a published article in Concho Valley.
Meanwhile, Texans who are immigrants and their families may be at greater risk of coverage loss due to language barriers and immigration status concerns. Many kids, particularly Black and Latino children, may also lose coverage during the process despite being eligible due to administrative hurdles they must overcome to maintain their coverage.
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What Texans Should Do Not To Lose Their Medicaid?
To ensure that Texans do not lose their Medicaid coverage during the rechecking process, they are advised to sign up for an account at YourTexasBenefits.com or on the Your Texas Benefits mobile app. They should also report any changes to contact information to ensure that they receive any necessary notices.
In a published article in Every Texan, renewal packets or requests for information will be sent in yellow envelopes labeled “Action Required” in red, and members will have 30 days to respond. Those no longer eligible for Medicaid or those who fail to complete the renewal process will be disenrolled from the program.
Texans with Medicaid coverage are encouraged to seek assistance from community organizations offering free assistance in renewing their health coverage or exploring new options. Eligible children can apply for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), while eligible adults and children can sign up for low-cost, high-quality insurance on HealthCare.Gov.
HealthCare.Gov will have additional flexibility for Marketplace-eligible consumers losing Medicaid or CHIP to enroll in Marketplace coverage through July 2024, through a new Special Enrollment Period (SEP) referred to as the “Unwinding SEP”.
Texans are advised to find local help, use the #SickOfItTX Get Help tool to explore their options, and visit the state’s Community Partner program website to find a local group. Families should also be aware that enrolling and re-enrolling in Medicaid does not harm a family member’s chances of becoming a U.S. citizen or cause the risk of deportation.
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