NY Health Plan Helps Members Navigate Health Insurance Renewals

New York-based health plan Healthfirst has launched a campaign to help members navigate health insurance renewals in a post-public health emergency (PHE) world.

During the COVID-19 PHE, Healthfirst Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Essential Plan, Medicaid Advantage Plus, Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Plan, and Managed Long-Term Care members had their health insurance coverage renewed automatically. Since the PHE ended on May 11, 2023, members enrolled in these plans must renew their coverage by their renewal deadline, which varies by plan type.

Individuals may be unaware of the renewal policy, leading to potential coverage losses.

Healthfirst’s omnichannel campaign aims to raise awareness about the need to renew coverage and what the renewal process consists of.

The campaign includes personalized outreach to members via email, text, and phone. Additionally, members can access information on healthfirst.org, the Healthfirst NY Mobile App, and through Healthfirst’s member portal. Members can also receive in-person assistance at one of 26 community offices.

“In some cases, members might find out they lack coverage when they seek medical care. The worst time to find out you don’t have insurance is when you actually need it,” Errol Pierre, senior vice president of state programs at Healthfirst, said in the press release.

“Healthfirst is strategically prioritizing the individual needs of our members based on their unique situation and renewal deadline. Our campaign is designed to support retention by creating awareness that change is coming and education on the importance of continuous coverage.”

The non-profit health plan serves individuals in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, Rockland, Sullivan, and Orange counties.

Members who want to renew their coverage or know more about their renewal deadline can visit healthfirst.org/renew.

The end of the COVID-19 PHE will likely lead to significant coverage losses, especially among Medicaid beneficiaries. Since the start of the pandemic, Medicaid enrollment has grown by 28 percent, primarily due to the continuous coverage policy tied to the PHE.

A report from the Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that more than 18 million people could lose coverage following Medicaid redeterminations.

Understanding post-PHE coverage and renewal policies can be critical for members to retain health insurance. An Urban Institute report from November 2022 found that 62 percent of adults who were enrolled in or had a family member enrolled in Medicaid were unaware of the upcoming Medicaid renewals.

In March 2023, beneficiaries were still uncertain about their Medicaid status and eligibility. In a survey of 512 beneficiaries, nearly four out of ten were unsure if they would remain eligible for Medicaid when states began the renewal process on April 1.

Almost half of the respondents didn’t know if their state would return to processing Medicaid renewals, and over half of the beneficiaries had not received communication about their Medicaid status. Additionally, 25 percent of respondents had not heard anything about resuming Medicaid renewals.