The end of the COVID-19 federal public health emergency (PHE) on May 11 may affect students who are enrolled in Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) for their health coverage. If this is you, keep reading to learn what you need to know and the actions you may need to take.
You will need to requalify for Medi-Cal coverage
During the PHE, states suspended the annual eligibility reviews required for Medi-Cal coverage, and they extended coverage automatically. But with the end of the PHE in sight, Medi-Cal has restarted those annual reviews. That means you must requalify for Medi-Cal coverage every year, starting now. If you don’t reenroll, you could lose your Medi-Cal coverage.
IMPORTANT! All registered UC students must have medical insurance as a condition of enrollment. If you are no longer covered by Medi-Cal, please contact your student health center immediately.
Medi-Cal will contact you by mail and ask you to complete an eligibility process. If you moved during the past three years and didn’t notify Medi-Cal of your new address, you may not receive that communication, and you could risk losing coverage.
Does Medi-Cal know where to reach you?
It’s crucial that you take the following steps now to ensure you don’t miss important information or deadlines:
- Make sure Medi-Cal has your current contact information. Visit medicaid.gov/renewals, then use the links for your state to provide updates and learn the status of your eligibility.
- If you received a renewal form from Medi-Cal, complete and return it by the deadline to avoid gaps in your coverage.
- If you learn you’re no longer eligible for Medi-Cal due to your age or financial status, you have options:
- To be enrolled in the UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) when your Medi-Cal coverage ends, notify your student health center. Otherwise, you will not have medical coverage until the following term. To see what you’ll pay for coverage, visit the Paying for Coverage page.
- You may be able to get low-cost coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace®. You have a limited time to apply and enroll. Visit the website or call (800) 318-2596.
Is UC SHIP right for you?
UC SHIP coverage is a great option for so many reasons.
Are you part of your family’s Medi-Cal coverage?
If you’ve been included in your family’s Medi-Cal coverage until now, it’s important that you check in with them on this issue. If they moved during the pandemic and have not updated their address with Medi-Cal, they also could miss receiving important renewal information. Suggest that they update their address with Medi-Cal, so they don’t risk losing their family coverage.
Questions? Contact your state Medicaid office or visit medicaid.gov/renewals.