End of Medicaid Continuous Coverage

Effective April 1, 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) returned to routine renewal processing procedures for Pennsylvanians enrolled in Medical Assistance and CHIP. Because of the pandemic, the federal government allowed Pennsylvania and other states to continue Medicaid (also known as Medical Assistance or MA) and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage for most people even if they were not eligible. This policy has ended. If you or your family member is receiving health insurance from the state, you will need to complete a renewal every year to ensure eligibility.

What to Expect:

• Make sure your contact information is up to date by calling your local County Assistance Office or visiting compass.state.pa.us.
• Your renewal packet will come by mail 90 days before your annual Medicaid renewal date and you will receive a request to update your information.
• Ensure your renewal packet and application are completed in their entirety. If there are special qualifying conditions such as a mental health diagnosis or a disability, these must be noted on page seven, section V, to be considered. Return your renewal packet on time to avoid loss of coverage. Sixty days before your renewal date, you can renew via the myCOMPASS PA app.

Where Can I Find More Information?

For more information, visit the PA Department of Human Services Medical Assistance Renewal page at dhs.pa.gov/PHE/Pages.

If you are renewing or applying for Medicaid under the PH-95 category, please review this resource for additional information paautism.org/resource/medicaid-healthinsurance- ph95.

What If I Need Help?

If you need assistance with the renewal or application process, you can contact the PA Health Action Network (PHAN) through their helpline. PHAN provides free assistance in understanding, applying for, and enrolling in health coverage, as well as troubleshooting problems.

Contact: 877-570-3642 / helpline@pahealthaccess.org /pahealthaccess.org/gethelp

What If My Application Was Denied?

Reach out to The PA Health Law Project (PHLP)’s Helpline at 1-800-274-3258 / staff@phlp.org for assistance. They can help when Medicaid coverage is denied or terminated inappropriately by advising or representing you in the appeal process to help you get coverage. They help to support social workers, APPRISE counselors, doctor’s offices, and family members/caregivers who are seeking advice on Medicaid eligibility and can help resolve an eligibility problem.