The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) made an operational change to its Medicaid program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). During the pandemic, our state continuously enrolled people in Medicaid. Ohio’s continuous enrollment ended on February 1, 2023, when our state resumed its normal enrollment operations.
The ending of continuous enrollment will cause some Ohio Medicaid members to be disenrolled in the program. The first round of termination letters was mailed in early April. If Medicaid members do not respond to the renewal packets and requests for information, they might lose their coverage as early as May 1, 2023, even if they are still eligible.
Medicaid communicates with its members via mail when it is time to renew or for information requests. Medicaid members need to check their mail for important Medicaid information. If a participant’s address has changed, it can be updated in three ways:
- Call 1-844-640-6446;
- Visit your county’s Department of Jobs and Family Services or;
- Log into the Ohio Benefits Self-Service portal.
If a Medicaid participant becomes ineligible, they can appeal the decision. Failure to file an appeal will result in the expiration of their Medicaid coverage by the end of the month when the termination notice was received.
If an individual is no longer eligible for coverage and is searching for alternatives, they have several options, including:
- Purchasing low-cost health coverage through the federally facilitated Market at healthcare.gov;
- Consulting with a licensed insurance navigator at no cost by visiting getcoveredohio.org or calling 1-833-628-4467;
- Speaking with a representative at their local county Department of Jobs and Family Services or;
- Utilize the interactive map the Charitable Healthcare Network provides to easily search for free or charitable healthcare providers and their additional healthcare services.
Additional resources to help Ohioans via Advocates for Ohio’s Future regarding 2023 Medicaid Eligibility and how Medicaid beneficiaries can prepare.