Helpline Available 24/7
Call (833) 976-4357

Medicaid & CHIP Continuous Enrollment Ends March 31

Table of Contents

In March 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) temporarily waived certain eligibility requirements and conditions for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This helped many individuals maintain health coverage throughout the pandemic and provided continuous enrollment, meaning individuals did not have to take any steps to renew their coverage annually.  

These temporary provisions will end on March 31, 2023, through a process called “unwinding.”

What You Need to Know

On March 31, 2023, states will be required to restart Medicaid and CHIP eligibility reviews and eligible individuals will no longer be re-enrolled automatically. An estimated 15 million people could lose their current Medicaid or CHIP health coverage during the unwinding process.  

What You Need to Do

Impacted individuals will need to:

  • Renew Medicaid and/or CHIP coverage if they are still eligible and would like to maintain their benefits.
  • Explore and apply for other health coverage options if they are no longer eligible for Medicaid and/or CHIP coverage.

Important Steps to Take

To avoid a gap in coverage, individuals should take the following steps as soon as possible:

  1. Update Your Contact Information — Ensure that your state Medicaid or CHIP program has your current contact information.
  2. Check Your Mail — Your state Medicaid or CHIP program will mail you a letter about your Medicaid or CHIP coverage with information on whether you need to complete a renewal form to see if you are still eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
  3. Complete Your Renewal Form (if you get one) — Complete and return your renewal form right away to help avoid a gap in your health coverage.

For more information about Medicaid renewal or CHIP coverage, please visit Medicaid.gov or contact your state Medicaid office.

Other Key Information:

If you are no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage, you may qualify for health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace®. Marketplace plans are affordable and comprehensive. Losing current Medicaid or CHIP coverage is a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), which means individuals can enroll in a Marketplace plan outside of the Open Enrollment Period.

  • Visit HealthCare.gov or call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) for more information about Marketplace coverage.

If you or someone you love needs help with addiction treatment, please contact our 24-hour Treatment and Referral HelpLine at 833.976.HELP (4357) or email helpline@gaudenzia.org today.

We’re on social media! Follow Gaudenzia on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn — and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for updates and educational content.

Table of Contents