Medicaid Protection has ended. Here is what you need to know.
The information below is intended to help Medicaid customers learn
more about Medicaid Protection and how it impacts them.
What is Medicaid Protection and how does it impact your Medicaid coverage?
Medicaid Protection was put in place at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and provided continued Medicaid coverage for individuals who may have otherwise been ineligible. Congress passed a bill that ended this continued coverage requirement on April 1, 2023.
This does not mean your Medicaid coverage automatically ended on April 1, 2023 even if you are receiving Medicaid as a result of this special protection.
This does mean the following:
- When the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) determines eligibility for Medicaid for April 2023 and beyond, it will no longer keep ineligible individuals on Medicaid, as Medicaid Protection no longer applies.
- DHW began processing re-evaluations of all individuals who are receiving Medicaid coverage under this protection beginning in February. This process will occur in phases every month through fall 2023 for individuals who are on Medicaid Protection.
*Data last updated: 09/5/2023.
**For the Medicaid Protection re-evaluations, June 1, 2023, is when the first individuals became ineligible for not responding during the 60-day redetermination period. This additional number is now included in the total “Determined ineligible.” The number of those ineligible due to non-response will be added to the total monthly, not weekly.
MEDICAID PROTECTION STATISTICS* - Out of 153,857 Total People in Medicaid Protection
153,196
Re-evaluations processed
31,900
Determined eligible
121,296
Determined ineligible **
What happens when Medicaid Protection ends?
Over the next year, we will complete a re-evaluation of Medicaid eligibility for all customers who are currently receiving Medicaid. As each group is processed, all customers who receive Medicaid will receive a notice from DHW:
- If DHW is able to complete your re-evaluation automatically, you will receive a notice of eligibility once that re-evaluation is complete. That notice will contain information about whether you are eligible for Medicaid, as well as details about the information we used to determine your eligibility.
Please review this notice and contact us if any of the information is inaccurate.
- If DHW needs your participation to complete the reevaluation, you will be sent a notice letting you know that you must contact us as we need additional information. You may opt to call us or go to idalink.idaho.gov
For individuals who are receiving Medicaid as a result of Medicaid Protection, you will also receive a pink notice so that you understand that your Medicaid coverage will discontinue if you do not contact us . Customers should complete the requested information as soon as they receive it.
- Households without people receiving Medicaid Protection will receive a blue notice letting them know they are not impacted by Medicaid Protection ending and will not be required to complete a re-evaluation at this time; however, customers should continue to report any required changes to us.
What if I lose my Medicaid coverage?
Once Medicaid Protection ends, your Medicaid will discontinue if you are ineligible. When this happens, you will receive a notice from us that details your household’s Medicaid eligibility results. It will also list the information we used to determine your eligibility. If any of that information is incorrect, contact us so we can redetermine your eligibility for Medicaid.
If you are not eligible for Medicaid, we may determine that you may be eligible for a tax credit to help pay for health insurance through Your Health Idaho. If that occurs, we will refer you to Your Health Idaho, our state’s health insurance marketplace. Your Health Idaho may then contact you about your eligibility for the tax credit and how to enroll in health insurance.
What can I do now?
To ensure you receive notices regarding your Medicaid eligibility and re-evaluations, be sure to report any changes to your contact information, including mailing address and phone number. If your contact information has changed, or you want to confirm your current information, contact DHW using the information below. You may also report changes by visiting idalink.idaho.gov.
Phone
877-456-1233
What are other healthcare options?
Idahoans who are not eligible for Medicaid may purchase health insurance via the state-based insurance marketplace, Your Health Idaho. Coverage can be purchased at Your Health Idaho:
- Within 60 days of losing Medicaid
- Anytime during YHI’s Open Enrollment Period.
In addition, if we discontinue Medicaid, and we determine you may be eligible for a tax credit to help pay for health insurance through the state-based exchange, we will send a referral to Your Health Idaho, the Idaho state-based health insurance marketplace. Your Health Idaho may then contact you about your eligibility for the tax credit and how to enroll in health insurance.
Visit yourhealthidaho.org or call 855-944-3246 for more information.