PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As of Saturday, April 1, Pennsylvanians who get their health insurance from the state will have to complete a yearly renewal to make sure they are still eligible to receive Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP.
This change comes nearly three years after the federal government prohibited states from kicking people off Medicaid – a government-funded insurance that focuses on people with low incomes – if they were no longer eligible during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Human Services says no one will lose their coverage without having a chance to complete a renewal or update their information. However, they noted that if you do not complete these steps by the due date, which they warn you of 90 days in advance, you could risk losing your coverage. They will review eligibility information over the next 12 months.
It’s estimated that as many as 14 million Americans could lose access to Medicaid, which covers nearly 85 million people, and things like income and household size could affect recipients' coverage again, as the restriction is lifted. Researchers say even if you do lose your eligibility, your children likely will still be covered
If you’re wondering what to do or how this may impact you, KYW Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough has some tips.
"When it gets to the point where you're looking at, ‘Do I pay for the heat versus do I pay for my medication?’ that's when it gets concerning, that's when people with fixed incomes or people who are economically in challenged situations have the biggest battles."
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"Your local hospital often has social workers and help you go through these things because sometimes its just a matter of paperwork or something and somebody would lose their Medicaid,” McDonough added. “So this is a real important time to make sure if you're eligible you remain eligible."
Renewal packets will be mailed to Medicaid recipients. But you can also check your renewal and submit it online, in person or over the phone by calling 1-866-550-4355.