COLUMBIA, Tenn. — Due to legislation ending the Medicaid continuous enrollment requirement related to the COVID-19 pandemic on April 1, those receiving TennCare or CoverKids benefits will be required to reverify their eligibility status for the first time in three years.
TennCare is the state of Tennessee’s Medicaid program and provides health insurance to more than 1.7 million Tennesseans, according to the Tennessee Division of TennCare. It’s imperative that all members update their contact information and respond to all TennCare communication to avoid a gap in health insurance.
Every TennCare member’s eligibility will be reviewed over a 12-month period and, where approved by state or federal rules, available data sources (Internal Revenue Service (IRS) income data and Supplementation Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) information) will be used to automatically renew members. If a member can’t be automatically renewed, they will receive a pre-populated renewal packet by mail or a notification by email, depending on the selected preference.
Members will be selected for review when their renewal dates naturally fell. For example, if they were due to renew in June 2020, their renewal date would be in June 2023. Members will be able to complete the renewal packet through a variety of ways, including online; by phone, mail or fax; or at any county Department of Human Services (DHS) office.
For members no longer eligible for TennCare or CoverKids benefits, their information will be sent to the federal Health Care Marketplace, as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), where alternative health insurance options are available.
CMS is opening an Affordable Care Act (ACA) special enrollment period from March 31, 2023, to July 31, 2024, for those losing health care coverage after the end of Medicaid’s continuous enrollment provision. Those eligible will have 60 days after they submit their application to select a HealthCare.gov Marketplace plan. Coverage starts the first day of the month after they select a plan.
TennCare Connect, the online portal where members can update their information and renew their coverage, and the new mobile app have been updated and improved to help make renewal easier. Members should log in to TennCareConnect.tn.gov or call 855-259-0701 to start the process.
More information on TennCare and the renewal process can be found at tn.gov/tenncare/renewals.
Maury Regional Health also has certified financial counselors available to answer questions. For more information, call 931.381.1111, extension 7262, or go to MauryRegional.com/TennCare.