8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS HEALTHCARE Take action to avoid losing Medicaid coverage! LINDSAY CALKA Publisher Starting in June, Michigan Medicaid beneficiaries will have to renew their coverage to comply with federal legislation. During the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, many changes were made to Medicaid’s eligibility to prevent Medicaid beneficiaries from losing healthcare coverage. Since 2020, there has been a 34.2% increase in Medicaid recipients. In Michigan, annual renewals will begin again in June 2023 and the first round of terminations of those ineligible will happen July 1. The renewal process will happen on a monthly basis; if you originally enrolled in Medicaid in October, no matter what year your coverage began, your renewal will still happen in October 2023. Passive renewals for the June cohort began in April of this year. Passive renewals are a mandated process in which the state of Michigan uses the information it already has on file — including income verifications from other programs such as SNAP — to attempt to renew Medicaid recipients without any action on their end. Recipients who were renewed will receive a letter in the mail stating such. Still, it is estimated that no more than 40% of current Medicaid recipients will be renewed during this phase. The State of Michigan has taken action to prepare for these changes in order to assist current Medicaid beneficiaries with the redetermination process, and information on the private insurance enrollment process, should they no longer qualify for Medicaid. One of these actions was an informational webinar held on Wednesday May 17; the Michigan Poverty Task Force facilitated a conversation between Kim Trent, key staffer to the Michigan Poverty Task Force, Zachary Dillinger with the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services and Nicole Hudson with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. There were three main takeaways from the presentation: 1. Update your information with the state. This can most easily be done through the MI Bridges portal; it is especially important for those who changed addresses or phone numbers during the pandemic. 2. Frequently check your mail and text messages. Notice of passive renewal or a renewal form will be sent through these avenues. 3. Complete the renewal form as soon as possible upon receipt. This can be done through mail, phone, in the MI Bridges portal or by dropping off the physical form at a DHHS office. If it is determined that you will lose Medicaid, or you presume you will lose coverage this year, taking action immediately will prevent a lapse of healthcare coverage. Marketplace coverage options can be found at HealthCare.gov. Dillinger emphasized researching if a plan covers your current service providers and calculating not just what your premium cost would be, but also co-pays for appointments and medication. If you find this process of enrolling for private coverage overwhelming, free local enrollment help can be accessed at LocalHelp.HealthCare. gov. If private options are not affordable for you, subsidies are available. Those ineligible for Medicaid might still be eligible for subsidies to reduce coverage payments to as low as $10/ month. Apply for a subsidy at michigan.gov/staycovered. Having health insurance is important, not just for when you are sick or hurt, but also to help you stay healthy and avoid big medical bills. It is important that you take action to get the coverage you need to protect yourself and your family. JUNE 2, 2023
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