Southwest Montana News

The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) will resume Medicaid and Healthy Montana Kids (HMK) eligibility redeterminations on April 1, marking the first such evaluations in three years. The suspension of annual redeterminations during the COVID-19 pandemic was mandated by federal requirements to maintain coverage for all individuals enrolled in Medicaid. However, a federal omnibus spending bill passed last December requires states to restart eligibility evaluations starting April 1.

Throughout 2023, DPHHS will assess current Medicaid and HMK members' eligibility for continued coverage, renewing or terminating it as necessary. These redeterminations will occur over ten months to balance workload with efficiency and quality.

DPHHS advises Montanans receiving Medicaid or HMK coverage to prepare by checking their apply.mt.gov accounts by April 10. Members can see when their redetermination will occur in the Check My Benefits area. Paperwork is expected to arrive the month before the scheduled redetermination.

Some individuals' coverage may be renewed automatically, with notification from DPHHS confirming continuation. Others will receive a packet by mail and are encouraged to complete it online at apply.mt.gov or return it via mail within at least 30 days. Reminders will be sent through notices and text messages.

State officials emphasize the importance of completing redeterminations promptly; failure to do so will result in termination of Medicaid/HMK coverage. It's crucial for recipients to update their mailing addresses with DPHHS.

“It’s imperative that Montanans currently enrolled in Medicaid or Healthy Montana Kids take time to update their contact information with DPHHS to ensure they receive upcoming notices related to their health care coverage,” said DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton. “We’ve made various options available to complete this crucial task.”

Individuals deemed no longer eligible for coverage will receive notice along with information on pursuing insurance through HealthCare.gov, the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. To assist these individuals, DPHHS is partnering with Cover Montana, which provides free enrollment help with Medicaid, HMK, and HealthCare.gov.

“Cover Montana is ready to help Montanans who are losing Medicaid coverage and need new health insurance,” said Olivia Riutta, Director of Cover Montana. “Many folks will only have a few days to sign up for new health insurance to avoid a gap in coverage, so make sure you quickly open notices from the DPHHS Office of Public Assistance. Then reach out to Cover Montana right away so we can help you sign up for new insurance through HealthCare.gov."

Montanans needing assistance navigating this process or finding other health insurance can call Cover Montana's toll-free helpline at (844) 682-6837 or seek local enrollment help at https://covermt.org/. More details about these changes are available at https://dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/medicaidupdates.