August 25, 2023 by Natalie Cochran
Texans Losing Coverage: Everything You Need to Know About Medicaid Disenrollment
Topic
Community Advocacy,
Community Education,
Covid-19,
Financial Assistance and Public Benefits,
Healthcare,
News
In 2020, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), part of which continued Medicaid benefits for those already enrolled, regardless of any changes in eligibility. That continuous Medicaid coverage ended on March 31, 2023, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) began disenrolling recipients in May.
HHSC began sending recertification letters to all Medicaid recipients on April 1, 2023. Medicaid members should have received a YELLOW ENVELOPE that says “Action Required” in red, or an email for members signed up for electronic notices. At least 80,000 Texans have lost coverage due to technical errors, like not receiving the packet due to an address change, or failing to respond within 30 days.
Communications Assistant Natalie Cochran sat down with Project Coordinator Christian Pineda to answer frequently asked questions about Medicaid disenrollment.
If my child was eligible during COVID-19 for benefits, but is now too old, what can they do?
We are making sure children still meet the age range requirements. If your child is employed, advise them to seek insurance benefits through their employer, if available; otherwise, they can apply for a Harris County Gold Card to get health care services from the Harris Health System. Visit a Harris Health Eligibility Center to pick up an application. If your child does not live in Harris County, they can apply for health care in their county through the County Indigent Health Program.
What is LSLA doing to keep benefit recipients updated with information on Medicaid or CHIP coverage?
We are hosting outreach events for households that have lost coverage, and reviewing each of their cases. We go case by case, trying to understand the reasons they were denied and assist them with an appeal where appropriate. For example, we can make sure children are still meeting the age range requirements and checking income parameters for Medicaid and CHIP. We are also able to communicate with HHSC to find out why the client was denied and make sure all the information is correct.
What am I legally entitled to if I did not receive a notice about termination of benefits or any communications about my denial?
In this case, we advise clients to appeal and can assist with that for eligible applicants for our services. When HHSC rolled out the unwinding plan, they sent out a packet to each household receiving Medicaid about their Medicaid benefits potentially ending. Many people did not receive the packet in time or at all, and their benefits were not renewed. We recommend that people file an appeal if this occurs to try to get back on benefits. Filing a new application should only take 45 days per the regulations but we have seen some taking longer because of the backlog. Again, we can assist eligible applicants for our services with getting back on benefits if they are still eligible.
If my information is inaccurate on HHSC’s website (age, address, income etc.) or if I have any status change, how do I make those changes?
You can update your information on My Texas Benefits. We can change that information if you have a case with us. You can also call 211 to notify HHSC of your updated information.
Do my benefits expire once I receive a denial letter?
You must be given an opportunity to appeal a denial before your benefits stop. You have 90 days to file an appeal of a medicaid denial. LSLA can help eligible applicants with filing an appeal.
What if I am no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage?
If you are over the income level or now above the age limit, we recommend that you seek insurance benefits through your employer, if available; otherwise, you can apply for a Harris County Gold Card to get health care services from the Harris Health System. Visit a Harris Health Eligibility Center to pick up an application. If you do not live in Harris County, you can apply for health care in your county through the County Indigent Health Program.
What can people do to make sure their information is up-to-date?
If your address changed, there is a chance that you did not receive your recertification letter and missed your deadline. Make sure you are updating your information, signing up for My Texas Benefits, and signing up for electronic notifications so you can get updates on their case. You can then receive text or email messages. It is important to sign up for electronic notifications as a secondary measure to ensure you receive communication from HHSC.
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Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. LSLA focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety, stability, health, and wellbeing; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, the aging, survivors of crime and disasters, the unemployed and underemployed, the unhoused, those with limited English language skills, and the LGBTQIA+ community. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
