Apply for Medicaid

You may need to provide some of the following items:

• Social Security Numbers (or document numbers for any legal immigrants who need insurance)
• Employer and income information for everyone in your family (for example, from paystubs, W-2
  forms, or wage and tax statements)
• Policy numbers for any current health insurance
• Information about any job-related health insurance available to your family

1. Eligibility is determined. Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determines whether you are eligible for Medicaid.
2. Receive your Medicaid eligibility card. About seven days after eligibility is determined, you will receive an Iowa Medicaid eligibility card.
3. Receive your enrollment packet. About 1–2 weeks after eligibility is determined, you will receive an Iowa Medicaid enrollment packet. It includes:
   1. Your assigned Managed Care Organization (MCO) and/or dental plan
   2. The date your choice period ends
   3. Information about your MCO and/or dental plan
   4. A form to change your MCO and/or dental plan, if you choose
4. Choose a plan, if you want to make a change. You can contact Iowa Medicaid Member Services by phone, fax, email, or mail to choose a different MCO and/or dental plan. You will be notified when your new coverage begins.
5. Receive confirmation of your coverage. If you change from your initial MCO or dental plan assignment, you will receive a Confirmation of Coverage letter. The letter will include the name of your MCO and/or dental plan and the date your coverage begins.
6. Receive information and your member ID card. Your MCO and/or dental plan will begin sending you information and your member ID card within seven days of receiving your enrollment information.
7. Coverage begins. You can begin receiving services through your assigned or selected MCO and/or dental plan.
8. You can continue to make changes. You have 90 days after the choice period end date listed in your enrollment packet to change your MCO and/or dental plan for any reason. After that, you may be able to change plans for a “good cause,” such as when your provider is not in your plan’s network. You will also have an annual opportunity to change your plan.

• Apply online through the Iowa HHS Self-Service Portal 
• Apply online at healthcare.gov

• Apply in-person at any local Health & Human Services (HHS) office

• Apply in-person at a federal qualified health center (FQHC) in Iowa

To apply by phone, call 1-855-889-7985

Mail your completed application (467.22 KB).pdf (467.22 KB) .pdf to: 

Imaging Center 4
PO Box 2027
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406

Email or fax a completed application to a local HHS office.