As the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) is anticipated to come to an end, the Texas Health and Human Service Commission (HHSC) has developed a communication campaign called “Don’t Wait, Respond and Update!” to ensure Medicaid-eligible individuals maintain coverage at the end of the PHE. The article regarding this campaign can be found at the Texas Medicaid and Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) website.
At this time, HHSC does not know when the PHE will end or when the federal government may allow states to discontinue coverage of Medicaid recipients whose coverage was extended during the PHE. HHSC estimates that 3.7 million Medicaid recipients in Texas will need to have their Medicaid eligibility redetermined when the requirement for continuous coverage ends. It is likely that many children receiving ECI services are among those whose eligibility must be redetermined. To prepare providers and members, this campaign is designed to give providers information and language to use when talking with families of Medicaid-covered children in anticipation of the end of the PHE.
ECI service coordinators should begin communicating with the families of Medicaid-covered children to prepare them for redetermination. HHSC has developed an Ambassador Toolkit which provides information to providers, health plans, and advocates. An information sheet has been prepared to help providers communicate important information to the families they serve and the steps they can begin taking to ensure they maintain Medicaid coverage.
