Medicaid is a federally funded, state administered program that provides health care coverage to eligible low-income individuals and families. Each state sets its own rules regarding eligibility requirements. States approve Medicaid based on factors such as income, disability, pregnancy and citizenship status.
Gather all of your documents to show proof of income, identity and citizenship along with social security numbers for each member of your household. You will need these documents to renew your Medicaid benefits.
Go online to your State's Health and Human Services website. To locate a state-specific Medicaid website, type the name of the state and then type Medicaid into your preferred search engine. In addition, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provides links to Medicaid program websites by state (see Resources).
Click the tab to renew Medicaid online. Create an account by selecting "new user." If you have an existing account, select "returning user" to login to your account. You may renew your Medicaid without registering; however, creating an account allows you to save your application for 30 days if you require extra time to complete it.
Complete the application in its entirety or save your application by clicking the save button. Log out and return within 30 days to complete and submit your application for renewal. After submitting your application, Medicaid will ask you to mail in documents to prove United States citizenship and income.
Tips
Keep a record of your account passwords for future login access or application completion. Print your application summary page to keep for your records, it includes your application number.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals: Medicaid Health Services Financing: Apply or Renew Medicaid Online
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Eligibility.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- Kaiser Family Foundation. “Medicaid Financial Eligibility for Seniors and People with Disabilities: Findings from a 50-State Survey.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- American Council on Aging. “Medicaid’s Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA): Calculations & Limits.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- Healthcare.gov. “Federal Poverty Level (FPL).” Accessed May 28, 2020
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “January 4, 2001 - Dear State Health Official,” Page 1. Accessed May 28, 2020.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “State Option to Enroll Tuberculosis (TB) Infected Individuals into the Medicaid Program,” Page 1. Accessed May 28, 2020.
- Healthcare.gov. “Coverage for lawfully present immigrants.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. “Services Available To Victims of Human Trafficking,” Page 12. Accessed May 28, 2020.
- American Council on Aging. “Understand Medicaid’s Look-Back Period; Penalties, Exceptions & State Variances.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- American Council on Aging. “How to Spend Down Income and / or Assets to Become Medicaid Eligible.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- American Council on Aging. “How Qualified Income Trusts (Miller Trusts) Help Medicaid Applicants Become Eligible for Long-Term Care.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “CMS announces new policy guidance for states to test community engagement for able-bodied adults.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Contact Us.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- New York State Department of Health. “Documents Needed When You Apply for Health Insurance.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- The Pew Charitable Trusts. “Trump Greenlights Major Medicaid Changes.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “States’ Experiences Confirming Harmful Effects of Medicaid Work Requirements.” Accessed May 28, 2020.
Writer Bio
Katherine Williams has been writing since 2007. She has covered crime for her neighborhood newspaper, "Sienna News," as well as health and wellness for various online publications. Williams is a medical coordinator at a renowned hospital for cancer patients and holds an Associate of Arts in health-care administration from Houston Community College.