What do to if you are at risk of losing Medicaid eligibility

(Read our Letter to the Editor: What to do if you are at risk of losing Medicaid eligibility)

Our coalition works to ensure that every Marylander has access to quality affordable health care. 

You may have heard that this year, Medicaid renewal is no longer automatic due to federal
changes. During the COVID-19 federal public health emergency, Maryland was able to
automatically renew Medicaid to help people more easily access health care services. Enrollment
in Medicaid reached an all-time high. 

Now that the federal public health emergency is over, all states are required to reassess Medicaid
eligibility for enrollees. It is critical to our coalition's work toward 100% health care coverage
that all Marylanders who are eligible for coverage are able to keep it.

Maryland has been very proactive to minimize unnecessary coverage loss.  Unlike other states,
Maryland has taken advantage of the full timeframe allowed by the federal government for
renewals to occur. Maryland is staggering enrollment so that agencies, health plan companies,
and other assisters have the capacity to provide expert enrollment support to people who need to
renew their Medicaid coverage.

Thanks to your advocacy, Maryland is also using existing systems like enrollment in the SNAP
food assistance program to automatically renew Medicaid coverage for those who are eligible.
We thank the Moore-Miller Administration and particularly Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera
Scott and Deputy Health Secretary Ryan Moran for all they are doing to make sure all eligible
Marylanders have the health coverage they need.

As a result of this effort, the majority of Marylanders in the first two months of this process were
able to renew and retain their coverage. Of those who were not able to renew, some were no
longer eligible for Medicaid but were referred to Maryland Health Connection to enroll in their
choice of high-quality, affordable health plans, with subsidies available for many of them. 
Unfortunately, others were disenrolled because the state needs more current information to
confirm their eligibility.

Everyone has a role to play in supporting the success of this massive effort. Please promote health care access and equity by encouraging everyone you know to check in on their coverage options. Enrollees can update their contact information by logging into https://www.marylandhealthconnection.gov and should respond promptly when they receive communications from the Maryland Department of Health and/or Maryland Health Connection.
More information is available at the following links:

• Up-to-date data from the state regarding Medicaid enrollment/renewal
• Medicaid Check In Information Page
• Social media toolkit to promote enrollment

Beyond the immediate goals set out here we are working closely with the Moore-Miller
Administration and Comptroller Brooke Lierman to use our first in the nation Easy Enrollment
program to automatically enroll eligible people in the Medicaid program at tax time through their
state tax returns.

Thank you for your support and advocacy toward ensuring that all Marylanders are able to
access quality, affordable health care.

Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative
2600 St. Paul St.,  | Baltimore, Maryland  21218
(410) 235-9000 | info@healthcareforall.com
healthcareforall.com