Enrolled in Medicaid? You'll Need to Renew Soon!

“Redetermination” of Medicaid Eligibility

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing is anticipating 325,000 people enrolled in Medicaid to lose benefits due to the end of a pandemic-era rule. Before the pandemic, Medicaid (also known as Health First Colorado) and the Child Health Plan Plus program (CHP+) eligibility was determined by income and household size. This redetermination occurred annually to evaluate if the recipient and their family members still met each program’s eligibility requirements. However, at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, the federal government halted eligibility reassessments. This resulted in 1.7 million Coloradans becoming insured through Health First Colorado and the CHP+ program. Now that the public health emergency is coming to an end, the eligibility redeterminations have been reinstated. 

Medicaid recipients’ eligibility will not be determined at the same time; the typical renewal month for each recipient is determined by the day they signed up with Health First Colorado. These eligibility redeterminations have already started; last month the initial group of Medicaid recipients received notice of their renewal deadlines from the state. After receiving their renewal notices via mail or email, Coloradans will have roughly 60 days to submit the necessary paperwork before their renewal deadlines. Recipients will continue to have Health First Colorado or CHP+ benefits during the redetermination process, but they will have a limited amount of time to acquire other health coverage if their renewal is denied. The first wave of Medicaid disenrollments will take place in May, so it is important that Coloradans consider alternative means for attaining health insurance.

Are You Enrolled in Medicaid? How to Prepare

Although Coloradans cannot complete their renewal forms early, there are steps they can take to prepare for the process. Since the renewal paperwork will be sent to recipients based on contact information they shared with the Medicaid program, it is important that recipients ensure that their information is accurate. Recipients will receive notices about their renewal by mail, email, text message, or notification, depending on their listed preferred method of communication. Coloradans can learn how to update their contact information and communication preferences here. Once contacted by a Medicaid official, recipients must complete their renewal forms before their deadline. Recipients can learn where to find their renewal due date here. Coloradans that require assistance in completing their renewal paperwork may contact their local county human services department.