Maryland ranks among top states in the country for Medicaid re-enrollment

WYPR - 88.1 FM Baltimore | By Scott Maucione

Published December 12, 2023 at 2:53 PM EST

Maryland is beginning the process of re-enrolling all 1.8 million Medicaid beneficiaries. Organizations like Health Care for the Homeless help patients through the process of reenrolling in Medicaid, which can include creating email addresses, locating necessary paperwork to enroll and selecting insurance. (Julia Reihs for The Baltimore Banner) — A Medicaid eligibility web page.

Maryland ranks among one of the top states in the nation for re-enrolling residents in Medicaid after the federal automatic enrollment program expired at the end of the COVID-19 national emergency.

The state has successfully re-enrolled about 71% of the more than 900,000 Marylanders who could have potentially lost benefits this year.

That ranks well above some states like Texas, Idaho and Montana, where re-enrollment rates have been around 40% or lower.

Maryland Deputy Health Secretary for Healthcare Financing and Medicaid Director Dr. Ryan Moran attributed the success to multiple outreach programs conducted by the state government.

“We have partnered very closely with managed care associations to develop what has been the statewide Medicaid Check-in Campaign,” Moran told the Maryland Health and Government Operations Committee on Tuesday. “The purpose of the campaign is really twofold. The first is generating awareness related to the redetermination process for members across the state. The second, with our colleagues at the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, is really encouraging Medicaid participants to ensure that the state has their updated contact information in the systems in our enrollment and eligibility systems.”

Maryland also funded a robust multimedia campaign to remind people their benefits may expire.

In total between May 2023 and May 2024, 1.8 million Marylanders will need to re-enroll in Medicaid.

So far, about 180,000 people have either not re-enrolled or were not eligible for Medicaid after trying to re-enroll.

During the pandemic, the federal government automatically re-enrolled people in the insurance plan.

“We want to make sure that every Marylander who is eligible for Medicaid stays on Medicaid,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera Scott. “If you are on Medicaid, please be sure to ‘check in’ and make sure your information is up to date. If you have a friend or family member on Medicaid, please reach out to make sure they have ‘checked in.’”

The check-ins require information like tax returns for eligibility, social security numbers, birthdates and citizenship or immigration status.

For more information about Medicaid Check-In, visit marylandhealthconnection.gov/checkin or health.maryland.gov/mmcp.