NH DHHS: Continuous Medicaid coverage ending for 102,000 individuals

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announces its plans to resume regular Medicaid eligibility and enrollment operations beginning on April 1, 2023. Last year, Congress passed legislation ending this continuous coverage, which is now set to end on March 31, 2023.

Since March of 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act allowed all Medicaid recipients to retain their health coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of eligibility. In the coming months, DHHS will be reaching out to approximately 102,000 beneficiaries protected under the continuous coverage requirement to determine their Medicaid eligibility. Individuals must complete a redetermination, or respond to requests for information sent by the Department, which the Department has sent them directly, in order to keep their Medicaid coverage.

"Having consistent health care coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic offered people covered by Medicaid a sense of reassurance during one of the most significant public health challenges of our time," said DHHS Medicaid Director Henry Lipman. "It will be important for Medicaid beneficiaries to watch their mail, email and texts for notices from DHHS and complete their Medicaid renewals in order to avoid a gap in their health coverage."

Over the course of the next several months, DHHS will send notices to individuals currently covered by Medicaid. These notices will be printed on yellow paper or highlighted in yellow in the individual's NH EASY account. To keep their coverage, individuals must complete the redetermination of eligibility or provide the information requested in the notice by DHHS. This necessary step will help determine whether they will be able to keep their Medicaid coverage.

Since July of 2020, the Department has been working with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to prepare for the transition to pre-pandemic operations, engaging in significant engagement and outreach to Medicaid beneficiaries, medical providers, and other stakeholders in order to minimize the disruption of people's health care coverage, especially for those who are medically vulnerable. Efforts include:

Mail, email, and text communications to Medicaid beneficiaries;

Monthly outreach calls to vulnerable Medicaid groups to remind them to complete their Medicaid renewals, and provide assistance if needed;

Regular calls with health care providers to answer questions and provide updates as necessary

Collaboration with providers, stakeholders, and other DHHS divisions and State agencies to facilitate clear communication with people covered by Medicaid;

Collaboration with the State's Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), including attendance at MCOs' outreach events, to assist members with their Medicaid renewals;

Ongoing data analysis to monitor the impact on Medicaid beneficiaries and tailor outreach efforts to vulnerable populations, including the homeless, people with disabilities, older adults, and people with limited English proficiency or other communication barriers;

Automation of Medicaid verification processes whenever possible, including address and income verification; and

Staff overtime to process influx of Medicaid renewals that will need to be processed.

Collaboration with the New Hampshire Department of Insurance and New Hampshire's health insurance navigators, who are also engaging in outreach events.

Individuals who become ineligible for Medicaid coverage can explore other no- to low-cost health insurance plans through the federal Marketplace, healthcare.gov. Assistance is available through the New Hampshire Insurance Department and the state's two health insurance navigators:

Health Market Connect

1-800-208-5164

www.hmcnh.com

NH Navigator/First Choices Services

1-877-211-NAVI

www.acanavigator.com/nh/home

For more information, please visit https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/financial-assistance-0/pandemic-related-benefits-changes.