Changes Are Coming for Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and Essential Plan Enrollees

Do you or a family member currently have health insurance through New York State Medicaid, Child Health Plus or the Essential Plan? New York State will soon restart eligibility checks to make sure enrollees still qualify for these programs. This means you may need to take action to renew your health insurance or the insurance of your family members. For example, if your income has changed since before the COVID-19 pandemic began, it’s possible that you may need to report that information to NY State of Health to stay enrolled in health insurance.

Here are some things you can do now to get ready:

1) Sign up for text alerts. Sign up to receive SMS/MMS Text alerts from NY State of Health so you don’t miss important health insurance updates, including when it’s time to renew your coverage. To subscribe, text START to 1-866-988-0327.

2) Make sure your address is up to date. Make sure NY State of Health or your local Medicaid office has your current mailing address, phone number and email address so they can contact you about your health insurance.

If you have insurance with NY State of Health, you can:

If you have Medicaid through your county’s Medicaid office or through New York City’s Human Resources Administration (HRA), contact your local office with your address and contact information.

3) Stay informed. Visit https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/COVID-19-Changes to learn more. NY State of Health will regularly update this page with new information.

If you do not have health insurance for your child:

NY State of Health, New York’s official health plan Marketplace, is where New Yorkers can shop, compare and enroll in a quality, affordable health plan and qualify for financial assistance to reduce the cost of monthly premiums.  More people than ever are qualifying for financial assistance to pay for their premiums.

Enrolling is as easy as 1-2-3. Take one of the following actions to enroll:

  1. Enroll online at nystateofhealth.ny.gov
  2. Call the Customer Service Center at 1-855-355-5777, or
  3. Click here to find an enrollment assistor who can help you compare your health plan options and enroll.