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Your Medicaid renewal letter

Medicaid, CHIP, and Medi-Cal check every year whether you still qualify. Many people lose coverage only because a form wasn’t returned in time. Here’s how to keep yours.

We remind you a week before and on the day. Nothing is saved on our side.

If you got a renewal letter or form

  1. Open it right away and find the due date. You get at least 30 days from the date on the form.
  2. Your state may have already renewed you using information it has. If the letter says you’re renewed, check the details and keep it.
  3. If it asks for a form or proof (like pay stubs), send it back before the due date. Most states let you renew online, by phone, by mail, or in person.
  4. Keep a copy or a photo of everything you send, and write down the date.
  5. Make sure your state has your current address and phone number. Letters sent to an old address are a common reason people lose coverage.

If your coverage already ended

  1. If it ended because a form wasn’t returned, send it now: in most cases you have 90 days after coverage ends to return it, and the state must reconsider you without a new application.
  2. If the state says you no longer qualify, the notice must explain why. You can ask for a fair hearing if you think it’s wrong. Ask quickly if you want to keep coverage while you wait.
  3. Losing Medicaid lets you sign up for a Marketplace plan within 60 days, often with tax credits. Children may qualify for CHIP even if parents don’t.

Pregnant or just had a baby?

  1. Pregnancy coverage lasts through the pregnancy, and in nearly every state for 12 months after the birth, even if your income changes. A renewal letter shouldn’t end it early; call your state if it seems to.
  2. Babies born to a mother on Medicaid are covered for their first year.

Coming in 2027

  1. Adults who qualify through the Medicaid expansion will be reviewed every 6 months, and many must show work, school, or volunteering hours. Watch your mail closely.
Did this help you figure out your next step?

General information based on federal Medicaid rules; your state’s letters and deadlines decide. Free help is available from your state Medicaid agency or a local legal aid office.