Waterbury, VT– Starting this month, all states - including Vermont - are required to begin checking Medicaid eligibility again. Since January 2020, Medicaid’s annual renewal process has been paused due to Federal policy that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State of Vermont is committed to supporting Vermonters in maintaining their health insurance coverage. Today, the Department of Vermont Health Access is announcing unprecedented flexibility for eligible Vermonters to enroll in other coverage if their Medicaid ends as a result of the renewal process.
“We are here to guide Vermonters through this process. It‘s really important for Vermonters to make sure we have the right information to contact them,” said Jenney Samuelson, Secretary of the Agency of Human Services. “Vermont is proud to have among the highest insured rates in the nation at 97%.[1] We want to make sure Vermonters on Medicaid have the information they need to take action and stay insured.”
The rules about who can be on Medicaid, also called Green Mountain Care, have not changed. The only change is that the state is returning to the normal process of checking whether Vermonters on Medicaid are still eligible. People enrolled in Medicaid are encouraged to make sure their mailing address, phone number, and email address are up to date by logging into www.VermontHealthConnect.gov or calling 1-855-899-9600.
Vermonters will be contacted ahead of their renewal month. If the State of Vermont has enough information on file, some people will have their Medicaid coverage renewed automatically. Other Vermonters on Medicaid may receive a white envelope with a red stripe to ask for important information about their health insurance. The renewal effort will be spread out evenly over 12-14 months.
Vermonters who are no longer eligible for Medicaid will have the opportunity to get different health coverage whether this is through their employer or through the health insurance marketplace.
“If you no longer qualify for Medicaid, you have options,” said Andrea De La Bruere, Commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access. “We want Vermonters to know that there is money available to help them afford health plans on Vermont’s health insurance marketplace, Vermont Health Connect.”
Normally, enrollment in the marketplace is limited to certain times of the year or life events. As renewals restart, the Department is making sure there are no barriers for eligible Vermonters to enroll in marketplace coverage. Vermonters who are no longer eligible for Medicaid may be able to transition to a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) and get financial help to lower costs. Some people could qualify for health plans that have zero-dollar monthly premiums.
To help Vermonters stay insured, partners, advocates, providers, and friends are being asked to help spread the word. Find more information here: https://dvha.vermont.gov/unwinding.
Vermonters can visit www.VermontHealthConnect.gov or call 1-855-899-9600 to update their information. They can also reach out to an Assister to help them enroll and maintain health coverage in person or virtually. Find more information about Assisters here.
[1] The 2021 Vermont Household Health Insurance Survey found that 97% of Vermonters have health insurance.