September 19, 2023: Beginning in 2020, federal COVID-19 regulations prohibited states from terminating any individual’s Medicaid coverage. However, on March 31st of this year, those protections expired, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) resumed removing coverage for those found to be ineligible.
At this point, around half a million Texans have lost Medicaid coverage, including more than 4,500 constituents in District 101 alone. Around 80% of denied Medicaid case renewals were rejected for procedural reasons, meaning that HHSC terminated many individuals’ coverage without reviewing their eligibility.This means if HHSC was not able to contact you, your coverage could have been erroneously terminated.
To ensure your Medicaid coverage continues, be sure to respond to any request HHSC sends you. When you get a notice that your renewal is due, follow the instructions to complete and return the information as soon as possible via mail, phonecall, or through YourTexasBenefits.com.
You can also check if it’s time for renewal by logging in to your account on YourTexasBenefits.com, the mobile app, or by calling 2-1-1.
If you believe you have lost your benefits unfairly, you can appeal the decision by filing an appeal by mail, calling 2-1-1 and selecting Option 2, or visiting a local eligibility office. You can also file a complaint with the ombudsman here.
If you were dropped from Medicaid and are not eligible for renewal, there may be other affordable health coverage options for you and your family. Low-cost, high-quality insurance is available on HealthCare.Gov for eligible adults and children. HealthCare.Gov is providing enrollment flexibility for Marketplace-eligible consumers who lose Medicaid coverage now through July 31, 2024. Additionally, many people will qualify for income tax credits to offset the cost of coverage in the Marketplace.
I understand this process is complicated and can be difficult to understand. If you have further questions or need any assistance with this process, please call our district office at 817-459-2800 or email us at Chris.Turner@house.texas.gov. We are here to help and my team and I are committed to ensuring everyone has access to affordable healthcare.
