Have Medicaid? What to Know About the End of Continuous Coverage
Do you have Medi-Cal, Med – QUEST or Oregon Health Plan insurance? These are three names for Medicaid, and many Adventist Health patients have this type of coverage.
Medicaid is a government program that provides free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with disabilities. Adventist Health serves patients with Medicaid in California (Medi-Cal), Hawaii (Med – QUEST) and Oregon (Oregon Health Plan).
As the COVID-19 public health emergency comes to an end, so are some elements of Medicaid that were put in place during the pandemic.
What is changing about Medicaid coverage?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government made the decision to help people access and keep their Medicaid benefits regardless of any changes in their circumstances. Medicaid members did not have to reapply for benefits each year, which means they had what is known as continuous coverage.
Now that the public health emergency is ending, so is the continuous coverage. States will restart yearly eligibility reviews using information provided by Medicaid members to make sure they still qualify. This process is called redetermination and it begins on April 1, 2023, in California, Hawaii and Oregon.
If you have Medicaid, keep reading for what you need to know and action you can take to stay up to date about your healthcare insurance coverage.
Take action to ensure you receive important information about your coverage
The most important thing Medicaid members can do now is ensure their county or state has current contact information. Take this easy step so you don’t miss out on important information about your coverage.
You can make updates online or by phone. Follow the instructions for your state:
- California: Visit the Department of Health Care Services website or call (800) 541-5555.
- Hawaii: Visit the Med-QUEST website or call the Health Plan number on the back of your insurance card.
- Oregon: Visit the Oregon Health Authority website or call (800) 699-9075.
Next steps: respond to requests for information
The next steps are straightforward. Keep an eye on your mail and provide all the requested information to your Medicaid administrator by the date it is needed. You may be asked for your current income, employment, household size, health status or other information. This will help ensure that your Medicaid coverage remains active.
What if you no longer qualify?
While each state has its own process for members who no longer qualify, each of them have plans in place to help you maintain healthcare coverage so you can continue accessing services. This may include assistance with finding a new low-cost plan.
In addition, we believe you should always be able to get medical care, even if you don’t think you can pay. That includes financial assistance and discounted care for uninsured patients.
