Medicaid Unwinding in Maryland: What You Need to Know If You Lose Coverage
Key takeaways:
Medicaid renewals in Maryland are changing because of the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. This is being 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 process, automatic renewals for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) stopped nationwide on March 31, 2023.
Maryland has started reviews to see who is eligible to continue receiving coverage. Make sure the Maryland Department of Health has your current contact information. If they can’t reach you, or if you’re no longer eligible for Medicaid or Maryland’s CHIP program — called the Maryland Children's Health Program — you could lose coverage as early as June 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 was renewed a dozen times between January 2020 and February 2023.
People who were eligible for Medicaid coverage at any time during the PHE were able to keep their insurance, even if they were no longer eligible. This is because all states — including Maryland — were required to provide continuous coverage during the PHE.
But the PHE ended on May 11, 2023. This marked the end of most COVID provisions, like automatic Medicaid renewals, which stopped nationwide in March.
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Maryland has resumed eligibility reviews for Medicaid and Maryland Children's Health Program enrollees. This is called the redetermination process. Anyone who no longer qualifies could be disenrolled as early as June 1, 2023.
Here’s what you need to know about Medicaid changes in Maryland, and what to do if you lose your insurance coverage.
Why is Medicaid changing nationwide?
Now that the PHE has ended, COVID-19 remains a public health priority — just not an emergency. As part of this process, Medicaid renewals will no longer be automatic. This is being referred to as the unwinding of Medicaid.
The unwinding will affect Medicaid in every state, Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories. It could cause 5 million to 14 million enrollees nationwide to lose Medicaid coverage.
State officials estimate that around 80,000 people in Maryland could lose Medicaid or Maryland Children’s Health Program coverage. But Kaiser Family Foundation estimates more than 447,000 could lose their insurance during the unwinding in Maryland.
What’s happening with Medicaid renewal in Maryland?
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is responsible for overseeing the state’s Medicaid program. MDH has an unwinding plan and a renewal plan, which outline how the state intends to conduct eligibility reviews for more than 1.7 million enrollees in Medicaid or the Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program, which is called the Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP).
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The state has launched Medicaid Check-in 2023, an outreach campaign about renewal reviews. You may be contacted via:
Mail
Social media
News media, including Spanish-language outlets
Billboards
Public transit ads
Resources from community partners and healthcare providers
It’s important for you to confirm or update your contact information with MDH. If you have Medicaid or MCHP coverage through Maryland Health Connection, you can confirm or update your information by:
Logging in to your account on the Maryland Health Connection portal
Calling the Maryland Health Connection helpline at 855-642-8572
Visiting your local Department of Social Services office or local health department
If you have Medicaid through myMDTHINK, you can confirm or update your information by:
Logging in to your account on the myMDTHINK portal
Calling the Maryland Department of Human Services Call Center at 1-800-332-6347
Visiting your local Department of Human Services office or local health department
What to expect during the renewal process
Maryland started reviewing renewals in April 2023 and will continue the process for one year. You will get a Medicaid renewal notice in the mail or via your online account if you’ve signed up for paperless notices. These notices will come from Maryland Health Connection or the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) before your Medicaid renewal date.
You will have at least 45 days to respond to your renewal notice. The Maryland Department of Health will send a 10-day reminder notice before you are disenrolled.
If you need to reach someone by phone about your Medicaid coverage, call the Maryland Health Connection at 855-642-8572.
What should I do if I lose my Medicaid coverage in Maryland?
In order to receive Medicaid in Maryland, you must meet all of the following criteria:
You must be a Maryland resident.
You must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or legal resident.
You must need assistance with access to healthcare or insurance coverage.
Your annual household income before taxes are withheld must be below the limit for your household size.
Because Maryland expanded Medicaid, almost all adults under age 65 with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level (about $1,564 per month for a household of one in 2022) qualify for coverage.
In Maryland, you may also qualify for reasons other than and in addition to income, including if you are:
Pregnant
A child or teenager
A child and your parent’s employer doesn’t offer family health insurance
Responsible for the care of a child who is 18 years old or younger
Blind
65 years old or older (and meet certain criteria)
A person with a disability, or you have a person in your household who has a qualifying disability
A child with certain chronic illnesses
A former foster child under age 26
In need of nursing home care
Under age 51 with family planning needs
In need of treatment for breast or cervical cancer (and have been screened or are still undergoing treatment)
If you no longer qualify or MDH can’t reach you, you will no longer be able to use your benefits, which could leave you temporarily uninsured.
If you lose your coverage but believe you still qualify, you can reapply for Medicaid. You may be uninsured for a while until you’re approved for coverage again.
If you choose not to reapply for Medicaid coverage, or if you’re no longer eligible, you may qualify for other low-cost or free healthcare options. You can also use GoodRx coupons to save on your prescription medications.
In addition, you may be able to enroll in an alternative health insurance plan such as:
Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plan: You may be able to enroll in an ACA health plan on Maryland Health Connection, which is the state’s ACA marketplace. You could find a plan for $10 or less per month if you qualify for a premium subsidy. If you lose Medicaid, you can purchase a plan through Maryland Health Connection during the unwinding special enrollment period from March 31, 2023 to July 31, 2024.
Employer plan: If you have a job, you may be able to get employer-sponsored health insurance.
Medicare: If you have a qualifying disability or condition — such as end-stage renal disease or ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease — you can enroll in Medicare at any age.
Partner’s plan: If you have a spouse or domestic partner who has insurance, you may be able to join their plan during an open enrollment or special enrollment period.
Special plans: Short-term insurance can be a great choice if you anticipate a better option, like job-based health insurance, to be available soon. You may also consider alternative and limited-benefit plans, such as fixed indemnity, accident, cost-sharing, and catastrophic insurance plans.
Student health plan: If you’re enrolled in a college or university, you may be eligible for a campus health plan.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): If you are an active-duty service member or a veteran, you may qualify for TRICARE coverage or VA benefits and services.
Maryland Medicaid resources
Here are some resources where you can learn more about Medicaid in Maryland and upcoming changes related to the end of the public health emergency:
Maryland Medicaid office: The Maryland Department of Health oversees and administers the state’s Medicaid program.
Maryland Medicaid self-service portal: You can visit the Maryland Health Connection portal and access your account online 24/7 to confirm or update your contact information.
Maryland Medicaid return-to-normal plans: Read more about Maryland Medicaid’s unwinding plan and renewal plan.
Maryland Medicaid FAQs: Find the answers to frequently asked questions.
The bottom line
Automatic Medicaid renewals stopped on March 31, 2023 in advance of the COVID-19 public health emergency’s conclusion on May 11, 2023.
Maryland started reviewing Medicaid eligibility for enrollees in April 2023 and will continue for one year. If you’re enrolled in Medicaid or MCHP, you’ll be sent your renewal notice through the mail or your online account. It’s important to confirm or update your contact information through your My Health Connection account or myMDTHINK account to receive your notices when it’s your turn to renew.
If you lose your Medicaid coverage, you may still qualify for health insurance elsewhere. Your options may include a plan on Maryland Health Connection (the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace), Medicare, or job-based insurance.
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References
Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response. (2020). Determination that a public health emergency exists.
Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response. (2023). Renewal of determination that a public health emergency exists.
Burns, A., et al. (2023). How many people might lose Medicaid when states unwind continuous enrollment? Kaiser Family Foundation.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicaid data dashboard.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). State report on plans for prioritizing and distributing renewals following the end of the Medicaid continuous enrollment provisions.
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).
Maryland Department of Health. (n.d.). Public health emergency planning activities.
Maryland Department of Health, Maryland Children’s Health Program. (n.d.). Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP).
Maryland Department of Health, Maryland Medicaid Administration. (n.d.). Am I eligible for Medicaid?
Maryland Department of Health, Maryland Medicaid Administration. (n.d.). Local departments of Social Services.
Maryland Department of Health, Maryland Medicaid Administration. (n.d.). Medicaid administration information.
Maryland Department of Health, Maryland Medicaid Administration. (n.d.). Medicaid check-in 2023 - Data.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Renew your Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Unwinding and returning to regular operations after COVID-19.
Tolbert, J., et al. (2023). 10 things to know about the unwinding of the Medicaid continuous enrollment provision. Kaiser Family Foundation.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2022). VA & TRICARE information.
Witte, B. (2023). As many as 80K Marylanders could lose Medicaid eligibility. AP News.
