TennCare to Restart Pre-COVID Renewal Process Beginning April 1, 2023
February 16, 2023
On December 23rd, 2022, Congress passed legislation ending the requirement included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) that forced Medicaid programs to keep people continuously enrolled. This requirement was set forth and was to be in place through the end of the month in which the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ended.
Since the enrollment provision went into effect, Medicaid enrollment substantially increased. However, with the end of the continuous enrollment, millions of people could lose coverage.
For the first time in three years, members of Medicaid and CHIP will have to go through the complete renewal process, which is expected to be one of the most substantial health coverage processes around the country.
As many of our clients and community members have TennCare coverage, we thought it would be beneficial to share additional information about the modified renewal process that will start April 1, 2023. Caring about their members, TennCare has been actively preparing for the end of the COVID-19 PHE that would result in the resumption of renewal processes required at the state and federal level. TennCare has been attempting to derive a plan that will hopefully be the best and easiest way for eligible members to renew and prevent any gap in their coverage.
TennCare’s PHE Unwinding Phases
TennCare’s plan consists of four phases:
Phase I – Plan
Make members aware of the change that is coming and encourage them to update all contact information associated with their coverage, so that they can be efficiently informed about keeping their benefits. Members can provide this information to TennCare by calling 1-855-259-0701, using the TennCare Connect app, or by visting TennCare Connect to access their account online.
Phase II – Educate (Current Phase)
An increase in public communication by TennCare to alert current and future eligible members of the resumption of the renewal processes. Continued encouragement on TennCare’s behalf for members to update their contact information and create TennCare Connect accounts to make accessing their benefits easier.
Phase III – Renew
This phase will begin on April 1, 2023. TennCare is required by law to review each member’s eligibility over a 12-month period. For each month’s members who are up for renewal, TennCare will attempt to auto-renew members that meet the necessary requirements by using existing public data sources (IRS income data, SNAP information, etc.). Members of TennCare that are not able to auto-renew will receive letters in the mail with renewal packets or emails notifying them a renewal packet has been dropped in their TennCare Connect account.
Phase IV – Transition
In the final phase, TennCare plans to work diligently to guarantee all eligible members maintain coverage while complying with all state and federal laws and regulations. Data of ineligible members will be transferred to the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, where other health care coverage is available.
Importance of Health Coverage
Having your own health insurance plan is important for many reasons. It can provide financial assistance for multiple health related expenses, including medical appointments, prescriptions, and any other medical care services you need. These expenses could also include medical bills from hospital visits and treatment plans you seek after being injured in an accident of any sort, whether it be a car accident, a slip and fall, or any other type of accident.
Although getting treatment after an accident is highly advised, it does come at a cost. TennCare and other health insurance coverage programs have been available for many years as a way to help individuals by covering part of the medical expenses that were incurred due to their injuries. You never know when an accident could occur, whether it is your fault or due to someone else’s negligence, the injuries you sustain could end up being extremely expensive to treat, especially if you don’t have health insurance and have to pay for them out-of-pocket.
If you are an eligible member of TennCare, be sure to check your account information is up to date, and get ready for the renewal process. Having health coverage can help injury victims have some sort of financial stability after an accident, but sometimes it isn’t enough. If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, call our experienced team of personal injury attorneys at 800-800-4600. We will work to get you compensation for your injuries. Let your health coverage cover the initial costs, and then we will fight the auto insurance companies to recover the rest of the money that you deserve.
