Medicaid in Virginia

How Medicaid Redetermination Impacts Your Health Coverage

New changes at the state and federal level may affect your Medicaid health coverage – but whether you qualify for Medicaid coverage or not, Virginia’s free and charitable clinics are available to provide you with quality and comprehensive healthcare. 

• Total Medicaid enrollment in Virginia grew by 43% during the pandemic, from 1.53 million people in January 2020 to 2.1 million members by April 2023 due to the fact that state’s like Virginia were required to suspend their normal Medicaid renewal process and provide continuous coverage during the public health emergency.
• These federal provisions came to an end in May 2023, when the state beganrecertifying the eligibility of all Medicaid recipients starting in a process called “unwinding” through the Department of Medical Assistant Services (DMAS) and Department of Social Services.
• DMAS estimates that approximately 351,000 individuals will lose Medicaid eligibility during the year-long unwinding process.

The Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics and its partners want all eligible Virginia to keep their health coverage.   

What you can do: If you utilize Medicaid for your healthcare coverage, make sure Virginia has an up-to-date mailing address and phone number. Medicaid members can also make updates and renew coverage by sending the information requested by the due date through one of the following ways:

• Submit the completed form/documents online at commonhelp.virginia.gov
• Call Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282 (TTY: 1-888-221-1590) to submit your renewal information. Have the requested information gathered and ready to give over the phone.
• Mail the completed form/documents to the address listed on the form or checklist by the due date. Medicaid will send you a prepaid return envelope, or you can turn in the form/documents by fax or in person at your local Department of Social Services. :  

Please respond when you receive a renewal packet from Virginia Medicaid or a health care plan. The information you provide will help the state confirm if you are eligible for Medicaid coverage. View the Renewal Process Flow Chart and the companion Where Are You in the Renewal Process?.  

Things to know: More than two million people received their health coverage through Medicaid in Virginia when the PHE ended in May 2023. Because of the amount of people enrolled in Medicaid, evaluating eligibility will take some time. After you’ve updated your contact information, you should wait to receive a renewal packet from Virginia Medicaid. Each month, the Virginia Medicaid team will reach out to a new group of people with a renewal packet. Please respond quickly to the packet to confirm your eligibility. Learn more from Cover Virginia.  

 

No Matter Your Healthcare Coverage, Free and Charitable Clinics are Here for You  

If a member no longer qualifies for health coverage from Virginia Medicaid, free and charitable clinics can still support you. While each individual clinic has its own eligibility requirements, we have partners that serve Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients. Find a nearby clinic. Whatever your healthcare coverage status it’s important to not delay preventative care. Schedule a check-up with a free clinic today.