Allentown, PA – The Allentown Health Bureau is urging anyone enrolled in Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program, also known as Medical Assistance (MA), to check their MA enrollment ahead of imminent federal changes impacting renewals.

The public health emergency, declared in March 2020, allowed Pennsylvanians to keep Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage whether they completed their annual enrollment package or not.

Under new federal law, continuous MA eligibility will be separated from the public health emergency and will end on April 1, 2023. After April 1, 2023, the Department of Human Services (DHS) will return to normal eligibility processes. This means that all MA and CHIP recipients must complete an annual renewal to see if they are still eligible for coverage.

Renewals due in March 2023 will be the first affected by the end of continuous coverage.

“I encourage all MA and CHIP recipients to keep an eye out for their renewal application and complete it as soon as they can to avoid a loss of coverage,” said David Synnamon, the City’s Health Director.

Additionally, by keeping contact information up-to-date, MA and CHIP recipients will receive timely, necessary updates about coverage and benefits in preparation for the time to renew their coverage.

If a person is found ineligible for their current coverage or does not complete their renewal on time, their MA coverage will end.

Pennsylvanians who are no longer eligible for MA will be referred to other sources of affordable medical coverage like CHIP and Pennie®, the commonwealth’s health and dental insurance marketplace.

General information and contact information about the changes can be found at https://www.dhs.pa.gov/PHE/Pages/default.aspx.

Information about when a person’s annual renewal is scheduled can be found on COMPASS at www.dhs.pa.gov/compass or on the myCOMPASS PA mobile app. Anyone can set up a COMPASS account and, if they have a mobile device, they can download the myCOMPASS PA mobile app for free. Instructional videos on downloading and using the myCOMPASS PA app are available on DHS Youtube Page.

Those without computer or mobile access can call the DHS Customer Service Center at 1-877-395-8930 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit their local County Assistance Office. In Allentown, the Lehigh County Assistance Office can be reached at 610-821-6509.

Information provided to TVL by:
Genesis Ortega
Communications Manager
Office of the Mayor
http://www.AllentownPA.gov

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