MDH Launches Medicaid Check-In Campaign to Avoid Disruption in Health Insurance Coverage

Medicaid Check-In Campaign

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is partnering with HealthChoice Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to launch the Medicaid Check-In campaign. The goal of the Medicaid Check-In is to help Marylanders avoid disruptions in health insurance coverage AS THE NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY COMES TO AN END.

The statewide effort will encourage Marylanders enrolled in Medicaid and the Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (MCHP) to update their contact information and to generate awareness about the change in automatic renewals.  In March 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) stopped Medicaid and MCHP renewals and redeterminations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this time, Medicaid enrollees have not needed to complete the renewal process to maintain coverage. Beginning in April 2023, Maryland will resume standard Medicaid eligibility and enrollment operations.

The Medicaid Check-In campaign is meant to reach Marylanders wherever they are so they know changes are coming. The purpose is to ensure that eligible individuals do not lose coverage when it is time for their renewal.

Marylanders who have Medicaid or MCHP health coverage can update their contact information three ways: online, by phone, or in person.

• Enrollees can log in to their account at MarylandHealthConnection.gov and update contact information.
• Enrollees can call MCH at 855-642-8572. Help is available in more than 200 languages. Deaf and hard of hearing use relay service.
• Enrollees can also call or visit their local Department of Social Services or local health department.

The Medicaid Redetermination Campaign offers a Redetermination Provider Toolkit, which can be found here.

The Toolkit includes flyers, social media instructions, newsletter blurbs, pre-launch email, pre-launch text message and Check-In logo.  There are versions in English and in Spanish.

Medicaid enrollees will receive a notice from Medicaid about their coverage. This notice will instruct enrollees to complete their renewal. If an individual is no longer eligible for Medicaid coverage, individuals may be eligible to enroll in another low-cost health insurance option. Individuals have up to 60 days after their Medicaid coverage ends to enroll in a new plan on MD Health Connection. If enrollees fail to respond, their Medicaid coverage will end.

MedChi CTO Compliance Analyst Cheryl Tawil is working on what physicians should do now that reenrollments are no longer automatic.  Once this info becomes  available I will share it with you.

Note:  This is a very robust 12-month campaign that will run from  March 2023 through April 2024.  The Medicaid Check-In will feature television, radio, social media, and transit ads, in tandem with direct outreach by MCOs and coordination with Medicaid and MCHP providers.

More information can be found at marylandhealthconnection.gov/checkin or health.maryland.gov/mmcp.