Over the next year, Delaware will review the roughly 315,000 residents who are enrolled in Medicaid to ensure they still qualify for the government benefit.
The standard eligibility renewal process for Medicaid and CHIP recipients − also known as the Delaware Healthy Children Program − began April 1 and will continue over the next year within the state’s Department of Health and Social Services.
The department estimates upwards of 50,000 Delaware residents enrolled in the government assistance programs may no longer qualify.
Why is this happening?
The annual renewals were not required for the last three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but normal reviews restarted this year as required by federal legislation signed into law in December.
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Many residents qualified for Medicaid and CHIP during the pandemic, when the annual renewal was frozen, so this year may be the first time a family is going through the process.
Learn more about the renewal process.
What can I do to prevent disruption of benefits?
Make sure your mailing address, email and phone numbers with the Division of Medicaid & Medical Assistance are accurate and up-to-date. Sign up for electronic notifications.
You can complete your renewal online through Delaware ASSIST, by phone, by mail, by fax, or at any Division of Social Services office location. Those who need assistance with filing out their renewal can call 1-866-843-7212.
If DHSS cannot auto-renew a person’s coverage using available and approved data sources, members will receive a renewal letter by mail.
Changes and notification preferences can be made online at ASSIST Self Service, or by calling the Change Report Center at 302-571-4900, option 2. You can also fax changes to 302-571-4901.
What if I no longer qualify for Medicaid?
Anyone who loses Medicaid and/or CHIP coverage between March 31 and July 31, 2024, will be eligible for a special enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Once eligible, you will have 60 days to choose a plan. Coverage will begin the first day of the month after the plan is selected. Plans cover services like prescription drugs, doctor visits, urgent care, hospital visits and more, and many cost less than $10 per month.
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You can also contact a local, federally registered and approved “navigator” to help with enrolling in private health insurance. Delaware navigators include:
You may also be eligible, or already enrolled, in Medicare. To find out, contact the Delaware Medicare Assistance Bureau at 302-674-7364.
Employees can assist you in locating supplemental Medicare and prescription coverage.
Watch out for insurance scams
When searching for a private health insurance plan, Delaware Department of Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro warned residents to be wary of offers that seem “too good to be true.”
They probably are, Navarro said.
Scams and tactics to watch out for include:
- Advertisements from discount plans or cards offering discounts on health care for a monthly fee.
- So-called “health sharing” plans that buyers join a group or association for a monthly fee.
- Texts, calls, or emails to Medicaid recipients asking for money to help with the renewal process.
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The Delaware Department of Justice also reminds residents to be diligent about telephone scams by:
- Never agreeing to pay a fine or other money over the phone.
- Not answering calls from unknown numbers or unfamiliar people.
- Hanging up on aggressive callers, particularly those who threaten arrest.
If you think you’ve been scammed, contact the Consumer Protection Unit’s toll-free consumer hotline at 800-220-5624, or email consumer.protection@delaware.gov.You can also report scammer phone numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry and file complaints online.
Got a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @mandy_fries.
