The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 is making waves for Americans enrolled in state and federal assistance programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance.
The latest change comes in the form of Medicaid renewal, which has been happening automatically since the onset of the COVID pandemic.
Medicaid renewals begin on April 1st, 2023.
Roughly 315,000 Delawareans are enrolled in Medicaid, up from about 250,000 in April 2020. Many of these enrollees have never gone through a renewal.
“The last three years our practice was not to disenroll anyone. So that presents a challenge in terms of now communicating with Medicaid beneficiaries that they have to go through this process,” said Steven Costantino, Director of Health Care Reform for Delaware Health and Social Services.
Costantino says nationally between 5 and 12 percent of Medicaid users may lose coverage during this renewal process, with 6.8 percent of that group losing coverage when they’re actually eligible.
In Delaware, that translates to 40,000 to 60,000 people potentially losing Medicaid coverage.
“We don’t want anyone who’s actually eligible for Medicaid to be disenrolled,” said Costantino. “We take that seriously, and that’s driving all of our communications, our strategy, and our policy.”
Delaware Division of Social Service director Tom Hall says they’re doing everything they can to make sure all those eligible continue to receive coverage.
“So what’s going to happen is we’re going to mail a pre-filled renewal form to every recipient or every household. It’s going to have your case information on it. It’s going to have the information that we already know about you from our system. And really our ask is that they confirm that it’s true, or tell how it’s different, and send it back,” Hall explained.
In order for Delaware Health and Social Services to send this renewal form, people must make sure all contact information on file is updated and correct.
The renewal form can be completed online through the client’s ASSIST Self-Service account. Or physical forms can be returned by mail, by fax, or in-person.
Hall says returning the form is vital to receiving coverage.
“We mail you a renewal, and if it gets to you and just don't return it ultimately your case will be denied,” said Hall. “If we get mail back and it says you’re no longer at that address, we’re going to make attempts to find out your real address. So we’re going to link to National databases, call your number, text your number, send you emails. Every contact method that we have for you, we’re going to reach out to. If there’s a forwarding address on the renewal when we get it back in the mail we’re going to send it to that address.”
Once the form is in the client's hands, whether that’s through physical mail or online, it needs to be filled out and sent back to DHSS to determine eligibility.
Some Delawareans will no longer be eligible for Medicaid insurance. This could be due to a change in their employment, income, or that they’ve aged out of the program.
Those who are 65 and older may apply for Medicare assistance.
Others may qualify for health plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace. Health Insurance Marketplace Navigators at Westside Family Healthcare and Quality Insights can help those who are not eligible for Medicaid learn about and enroll in the health plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Four out of 5 enrollees can find plans that cost less than $10 a month.
More details can be found online at de.gov/medicaidrenewals.
