Medicaid Unwinding in Idaho: What You Need to Know
Key takeaways:
Medicaid renewals in Idaho are changing because of the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. This is called the unwinding of Medicaid, and some people will lose coverage during this process.
During the PHE, Medicaid renewals were automatic and enrollees had continuous coverage. As part of the unwinding, automatic renewals for Medicaid and Children’s Medicaid (CHIP) will stop nationwide on March 31, 2023.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has started to determine who is currently eligible for Medicaid. If you or a family member is no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, your health insurance could end as early as April 1, 2023.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 in January 2020. The PHE declaration was renewed a dozen times through February 2023.
If you were enrolled in Medicaid during the COVID-19 PHE, chances are you kept your coverage even if you didn’t technically qualify. This is because states were legally required to provide continuous coverage throughout the pandemic.
Now the PHE is ending, and automatic Medicaid renewals will stop on March 31, 2023. This process is called the unwinding. Anyone who no longer qualifies for Medicaid benefits in Idaho could lose their coverage as early as April 1, 2023.
Prescription Savings Are Just the Beginning
See what other benefits you qualify for—from cashback cards to cheaper insurance.
Why is Medicaid changing nationwide?
After the PHE ends on May 11, 2023, COVID-19 will still be a public health concern, but no longer an emergency.
As part of this process, Medicaid renewals will no longer be automatic. This change will affect Medicaid recipients in all 50 states, 5 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. It puts millions of people at risk of losing Medicaid and Children’s Medicaid (CHIP) coverage.
What’s happening with Medicaid renewal in Idaho?
Now that coverage is no longer automatically renewed, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) is in charge of reviewing the state’s Medicaid cases, which is called redetermination.
The agency began reviewing cases for eligibility in February 2023 and plans to continue into the fall of 2023. An estimated 150,000 people in Idaho could lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
If you no longer qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, you could lose your benefits any time from April 1, 2023 through the completion of the IDHW reviews.
The IDHW will try to complete your eligibility review automatically or will attempt to reach you with the contact information you have provided. So make sure the agency has your correct information.
Read more like this
Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.
Here are some common reasons you could lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage:
No contact information: You will lose your benefits if the IDHW can’t reach you to verify your information.
Income: Your household income has changed.
Household size: The number of people living with you has changed.
Living situation: You left a long-term care facility, mental health facility, or prison.
Disability: Your disability status changed.
What should I do if I lose my Medicaid coverage in Idaho?
If your Medicaid in Idaho isn’t renewed, you will get a letter in the mail and your benefits will be terminated.
You can reapply for Medicaid if you lose coverage but believe you still qualify. You may be uninsured while you wait to be approved again. During this time, you can consider free and low-cost healthcare options and take advantage of GoodRx to save on your prescription medications.
You should see if you qualify for coverage elsewhere if you aren’t going to reapply for Medicaid and don’t qualify for another government healthcare program. Here are some other options for health insurance:
Affordable Care Act marketplace: If you qualify for a premium subsidy, you can get coverage for as low as $10 or less per month through Your Health Idaho, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange. IDHW will notify you if you are eligible for the subsidy (also called the tax credit). If your Medicaid coverage is terminated, it will trigger a special enrollment period that will last from March 31, 2023 to July 31, 2024. During this period, you can purchase an insurance plan on the ACA marketplace.
Employer plan: You may now have a job that offers employer-sponsored insurance.
Medicare: If you have disabilities or conditions like end-stage renal disease or ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) you may be able to enroll in Medicare at any age.
Partner’s plan: If your spouse or domestic partner has an insurance plan, they might be able to add you to it during the next open enrollment period.
Special plans: Short-term insurance can be a temporary solution if you have another option, like job-based health insurance, that hasn’t kicked in yet. There are other types of plans, too, like alternative and limited-benefit plans such as fixed indemnity, accident, and cost-sharing.
Student health plan: If you are currently attending a college or university, find out if they offer a campus health plan.
Veterans Affairs: Veterans and active-duty service members may be able to use their TRICARE coverage or Veterans Affairs benefits.
Idaho Medicaid resources
Here’s where you can learn more about Medicaid in Idaho and upcoming changes to the program:
Idaho Medicaid agency: Head to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare website for general information about Medicaid in the state. You can contact the agency by calling 877-456-1233.
Idaho’s Medicaid unwinding plan: Read about how Idaho will handle the end of automatic renewals.
Frequently asked questions: Get answers to common questions about the end of continuous Medicaid coverage in the state.
Idaho Medicaid self-service portal: Log in to your Medicaid account 24/7 through Idalink to check the status of your benefits or to learn more about Medicaid and CHIP renewal.
American Indians/Alaska Natives: The National Indian Health Board projects that about 236,000 American Indian/Alaska Native people will lose Medicaid coverage because of the unwinding, including American Indian/Alaska Native people in Idaho. Learn how this group can prepare for the transition.
The bottom line
Automatic Medicaid renewals will stop on March 31, 2023 due to the end of the COVID public health emergency. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is reviewing all Medicaid and CHIP cases to see who is currently eligible.
You could lose coverage as early as April 1, 2023 if you are no longer eligible. If that happens, you have other health insurance options, including plans on the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace. You can also reapply for Medicaid if you think you still qualify.
Why trust our experts?
References
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2023). Temporary special enrollment period (SEP) for consumers losing Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage due to unwinding of the Medicaid continuous enrollment condition – frequently asked questions (FAQ).
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2023). Unwinding and returning to regular operations after COVID-19.
Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. (n.d.). Medicaid & health.
Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. (n.d.). Medicaid program income limits.
Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. (n.d.). Medicaid protection FAQ.
Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. (2023). Idaho Medicaid COVID-19 continuous coverage unwinding plan.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Renew your Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
Tolbert, J., et al. (2023). 10 things to know about the unwinding of the Medicaid continuous enrollment provision. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Tribal Health Reform Resource Center. (2023). Medicaid unwinding.
U.S. Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response. (2020). Determination that a public health emergency exists.
U.S. Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). (2023). Renewal of determination that a public health emergency exists.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2022). VA/DoD health affairs.
