What is the End of the Continuous Coverage Requirement?
From March 2020, through April 1, 2023, Iowa Medicaid was required to maintain continuous health care coverage for members. This meant that if a member’s situation changed (e.g., financially) in a way that would normally disqualify them from the program, Iowa Medicaid was required to maintain coverage for the person during the public health emergency (PHE).
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 that ends the Medicaid program’s continuous coverage requirement as of April 1, 2023.
This means that most Medicaid members will go through a redetermination process during the 12-month unwinding period to determine if they are still eligible for any Medicaid program(s). This includes members who have not had a redetermination in the last 12 months and those who have been deemed ineligible but whose coverage is being maintained.
It is critical that Iowa Medicaid members have up-to-date contact information and mailing addresses. Members should expect mail from Iowa HHS and respond to any requests for information in a timely manner. If members do not respond to renewal letters or requests for information, they could lose their Medicaid coverage.
What this means for you
With the initiation of the unwind plan, Iowa Medicaid will share important information with members. It is critical that Iowa Medicaid members:
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Have up-to-date contact information.
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Watch for mail from Iowa Medicaid.
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Respond to requests for information.
If members do not respond to renewal letters or requests for information, they may lose coverage.
Informational Recordings
| Meeting Title and Date | Meeting Recording Link | Recording Passcode |
| Stakeholder Session: End of Continuous Coverage Requirement January 25, 2023 |
Recording link | Passcode: !1STV^KC |
Timeline
| Goals | Objective |
|---|---|
Goal 1 |
Prior to January 1, 2023 Updating member information to have the correct address, phone, and email contacts to reach members with important updates about their health coverage. |
Goal 2 |
January 1, 2023 - April 1, 2023 Preparing members and stakeholders for the Iowa Medicaid unwinding period. This includes explaining changes that will occur to resume normal Medicaid operations, timelines for these changes, and how that might impact them. |
Goal 3 |
After April 1, 2023 - After the member receives their renewal packet in the mail Helping members successfully fulfill their renewal requirements to ensure that their annual Medicaid eligibility renewal is completed accurately. This will help to prevent members from losing their Medicaid eligibility for procedural reasons. |
Goal 4 |
Iowa’s 12-month Unwind period: If a member receives notice that they are no longer eligible for Medicaid. Specifically for individuals that were disenrolled from Medicaid based on their annual renewal, this phase will focus on providing information, resources, and processes on obtaining alternative health coverage after disenrollment. |
* Note: Goals 2, 3 and 4 all occur during Iowa's full 12-month unwinding period but are different for each member based on their scheduled renewal month.
Renewal
Need help with your Medicaid or Hawki renewal? Contact Member services at 800-338-8366. Agents can help you walk through your renewal and direct you to the correct resources depending on when your renewal is due.
Contact Us
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Iowa Medicaid Member Services (Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) For telephone accessibility assistance if you are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or have difficulty speaking, call Relay Iowa TTY at 1-800-735-2942. Llame al 1-800-735-2942, a Relay Iowa TTY (teléfono de texto para personas con problemas de audición, del habla y ceguera) si necesita asistencia telefónicamente. |