Healthfirst Launches Campaign to Assist Members With Renewing Their Health Coverage

Plan Offers Personalized Communications and Guidance

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Healthfirst has launched an integrated, omnichannel campaign offering its members personalized guidance and tools for renewing their health insurance coverage. During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, Healthfirst Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Essential Plan, Medicaid Advantage Plus, Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Plan, and Managed Long-Term Care enrollees, along with all others covered by these important programs had their coverage automatically renewed. With the public health emergency now ended, individuals enrolled in these plans must renew their coverage by their renewal deadline, which varies from member to member.

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The ending of autorenewals presents challenges, chief among them being potential unawareness of both the need to renew and the renewal process itself. Nationally, there are now more than 92 million people enrolled in Medicaid, a growth of 28% since the start of the pandemic. According to a report published by the Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, more than 18 million people could lose coverage after autorenewals end, a large percentage of whom would remain eligible for continued coverage. Healthfirst’s coverage renewal campaign helps with this challenge by engaging members based on their individual renewal deadline date.

With multiple member touchpoints, the Healthfirst campaign includes personalized outreach to members by email, text, and phone and is supported by content on healthfirst.org and the Healthfirst NY Mobile App, and in Healthfirst’s member portal. Healthfirst members can also rely on face-to-face customer service at our 26 community offices. Members, and people interested in enrolling, can schedule an appointment online.

“In some cases, members might find out they lack coverage when they seek medical care. The worst time to find out you don't have insurance is when you actually need it,” said Errol Pierre, Healthfirst’s Senior Vice President of State Programs. “Healthfirst is strategically prioritizing the individual needs of our members based on their unique situation and renewal deadline. Our campaign is designed to support retention by creating awareness that change is coming and education on the importance of continuous coverage.”

Members interested in renewing their coverage or wanting to know more about their renewal deadline and actions needed are encouraged to visit healthfirst.org/renew.

About Healthfirst

Healthfirst, one of New York’s largest not-for-profit health insurance companies, has earned the trust of more than 1.8 million members by ensuring access to affordable and high-quality healthcare. Sponsored by downstate New York’s leading hospital systems, Healthfirst’s unique advantage is rooted in its mission to put members first by partnering closely with its broad network of providers on shared goals. Healthfirst is also a pioneer of the value-based care model, now recognized as a national best practice. For nearly 30 years, Healthfirst has worked with its network of hospital systems, community providers, and partners to improve health outcomes and advance health equity through better access to care—especially in underserved communities adversely impacted by disease, health disparities, and socioeconomic barriers to optimal health. Healthfirst has built its reputation in the community for top-quality products and services New Yorkers can depend on. It offers market-leading products to fit every life stage, including Medicaid plans, Medicare Advantage plans, Long-Term Care plans, Qualified Health plans, Essential Plans, and individual and small group plans. Healthfirst serves members in New York City and on Long Island, as well as in Westchester, Rockland, Sullivan, and Orange counties. For more information on Healthfirst, please visit healthfirst.org.

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Media:
Maria Ramirez
[email protected]

Source: Healthfirst