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Staying covered if you lose Medicaid or CHIP

If your state finds that your household income is too high or other items make you ineligible, you may lose your
or
coverage.
Notice:
Your state regularly checks if you're still eligible to keep Medicaid or CHIP—called a renewal process. Your state will reach out to you if they need more information. Complete and submit any forms your state asks for right away.

The Marketplace may contact you 

When you lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage, your state securely sends your contact information to the
. 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. You don’t need to wait for us to contact you to apply for coverage.

Apply for Marketplace coverage right away

  • You may be able to get low-cost, quality health coverage through the Marketplace.
  • All Marketplace plans cover things like prescription drugs, doctor visits, urgent care, hospital visits, and more.
You can apply and enroll in a Marketplace plan as early as 60 days before your Medicaid or CHIP coverage ends to avoid a gap in coverage. You can also apply for a Marketplace plan after your Medicaid or CHIP coverage ends—you have 60 days after submitting your application to enroll in a plan that will start at the beginning of the next month after you complete your enrollment.

Most people qualify for savings

When you apply to the Marketplace, you’ll find out if you qualify for:
  • The 
     that lowers your monthly premium
  • Extra savings (also called “
    ”) to lower what you pay when you get services, like 
     and 
    .
To apply, you’ll first create an account (or log into your account if you already have one).
Start/Update application

Local help in your community

About a month after we send you the first letter, if you haven’t enrolled in coverage, we may send you another letter with information about an
organization that works with us to help your local community. Marketplace assisters provide free, fair, impartial, and accurate information to you and your household. Assisters are trained by us to give you information about your health coverage options, answer your questions, and help you enroll in a Marketplace plan, Medicaid, or CHIP.
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 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,
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. Learn more about spotting scams and how to report them.

Re-apply if you lost or will soon lose Medicaid or CHIP

If your state says you’re no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage, you can re-apply through your state at any time to find out if you still qualify. (In all states, Medicaid and CHIP offers health coverage to some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.)

Check with your employer about job-based coverage

Your employer may offer health insurance. If they do, find out how to decide between job-based or Marketplace coverage. 

Learn more about the Marketplace:

Notice:
Qualify for Medicare?
If you now qualify for
but didn't sign up for it when you first became eligible, you may be able to sign up for Medicare without paying a late enrollment penalty.
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