Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Medicaid & CHIP

Get Marketplace coverage if you lose or are denied Medicaid or CHIP coverage

Notice:
Get coverage now
Fill out an application, compare plans, and enroll in Marketplace health coverage. Log in or create account to start your application.
Your state may be re-starting the renewal process to check if you're still eligible to keep Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Your state will reach out to you if they need more information. To prepare:
  • Update your contact information with your state.
  • Check your mail for a letter from your state.
  • Complete and submit any forms your state asks for right away.
If your state finds that you no longer qualify, you may lose your Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
You may be able to get health coverage through the Marketplace with savings if you or others in your household:
  • Had Medicaid or CHIP coverage, but lost it. 
  • Currently have Medicaid or CHIP coverage, but will lose it soon. 
  • Applied for Medicaid or CHIP coverage through your state agency and the state denied your application.
  • Applied for coverage with the Marketplace and were found potentially eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage. Your state checked if you could get Medicaid or CHIP, but said you (or your household member(s)) don’t qualify.
The Marketplace may contact you. When you lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage, your state securely sends your contact information to the Marketplace. We’ll use it to mail you a letter about Marketplace coverage. We may also follow up with you by phone, text, or email, if you gave that contact information to your state.
But, you don’t need to wait for us to contact you to apply and enroll in Marketplace coverage.

Local help in your community

About a month after we send you the first letter, if you haven’t enrolled in coverage, a Marketplace assister in your community may contact you by phone, text, or email with the information you provided to your state Medicaid or CHIP agency.
Assisters are trained by the Marketplace to give you free, fair, impartial, and accurate information about your health coverage options, answer your questions, and help you enroll in a Marketplace plan, Medicaid, or CHIP. Assisters will:
  • Never ask you for your credit card number or any other form of payment
    • Their services to help you get health coverage are free of charge
    • When you enroll in a health plan, you’ll always pay your premiums directly to the insurance company never to the Marketplace or its assisters
  • Always provide a Privacy Notice Statement, and get your consent or “authorization” before discussing or accessing your personal information

To get help with your coverage options or to apply for Marketplace coverage, find local help near you or contact the Marketplace Call Center.
Warning:
Say no to scams
Don’t share your personal information or give money to anyone saying you have to pay them to keep Medicaid or CHIP coverage or apply for Marketplace coverage. The Marketplace, assister organizations, and your state will never threaten you or anyone in your household or ask for your credit card information or payment to keep or qualify for health coverage.
Report it if someone calls, emails, or texts you asking for:
  • Your personal information (like your Social Security Number)
  • Money (like credit card payment, gift cards, cash, prepaid debit card, or cryptocurrency)
  • Or, if they threaten you or anyone in your household with legal action
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Also contact your local police department. Learn more about scams.

Submitting a Marketplace application

Update your existing Marketplace application or create a new application right away to see if you (or other members in your household) are eligible to buy a Marketplace plan and get help with costs.
  1. Log into your Marketplace accountIf you don’t already have a Marketplace account, you can create one.
  2. Start a new application, or update your existing one. 
    • To start a new application, choose your state and then select “Start my application.”
    • If you have an existing application, select “Go to my applications & coverage,” and choose the one you want to update under “Your existing applications.”
  3. Be sure your application includes:
    • Your state’s recent decision about Medicaid and CHIP coverage.
    • Information like your current income.
  4. Answer the Medicaid/CHIP and household questions based on your situation. (Get tips to help you answer the Medicaid and CHIP application questions under Answering application questions.)
  5. Submit your completed application. You’ll get your eligibility results right away.
  6. Enroll in a Marketplace plan, if eligible. Once you enroll, you’ll need to pay your plan’s premium to start your coverage.
     
Notice:
If you’re a member of a Federally-recognized tribe or an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) Corporation shareholder, you may be able to get additional cost savings when you enroll in a qualified Marketplace health plan. Get more health coverage information for American Indians & Alaska Natives.

Getting your application results

You'll get results right away telling you if you or others in your household qualify for health coverage through the Marketplace. Based on how you answer your application questions, we may also check to see if you could still qualify for Medicaid or CHIP coverage. Review your results – they include:
  • Information about savings on your Marketplace plan
  • Other actions you may need to take to confirm your information
  • Enrollment deadlines
Your eligibility results will also tell you if you or anyone in your household qualifies for a 
 to enroll outside the 
, or get an earlier coverage start date. If someone in your household lostwill soon lose, or was denied Medicaid or CHIP coverage, they may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Answering application questions

Here’s how to answer questions about Medicaid and CHIP on your Marketplace application:

Have questions?