Medicaid Renewal Guide: How to Renew Medicaid in New York
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
Medicaid requires participants to renew their coverage every year. If you are part of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) in New York, staying enrolled in Medicaid is very important. CDPAP allows eligible individuals to hire and pay family members or friends as their caregivers. To continue receiving care through this program, the person receiving care must remain covered by Medicaid at all times.
If you miss renewal deadlines, it can cause gap in the coverage and affect your benefits. So, staying on top of your renewal is important. Here is everything you need to know about deadlines, recent changes, how to renew, and what to do if you miss a deadline.
When Is My Medicaid Renewal Deadline?
Individual deadlines vary throughout the year. You will receive a notice from NY State of Health or your Local Department of Social Services (DSS) by mail or email when it is time to renew. The notice will include your deadline and the documents you need to complete the renewal. Please open and read through any mail or letter that you receive from NY State of Health or your local DSS as soon as possible.
It is important to keep your mailing address and contact information up to date on NY State of Health account or call the NY State of Health Customer Service Center at 855-355-5777. You can be prepared for any upcoming renewals, through these recommended steps.
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the state automatically extended coverage without checking eligibility. However, that ended in spring 2023 when federal law required states to return to yearly renewals.
In some cases, the state auto-renews and you will receive a notice in your mail that your coverage is renewed and no action is needed. If you haven’t received a renewal notice and think one is overdue, call the statewide Medicaid Helpline at 800-541-2831 or, if you’re in New York City, the HRA Medicaid Helpline at 888-692-6116.
Important: Renewals will be every six months starting Jan 01, 2027, for some Medicaid recipients.
How to Renew Medicaid?
There are different ways to renew your Medicaid insurance, and it depends on the where you originally enrolled and the method you prefer.
If you are enrolled through NY State of Health
You will receive a renewal notice from NY State of Health in your mail, email, or your account. You can choose one of these ways to complete the process:
1 - Online
The fastest and convenient way is through the official NY State of Health portal.
Click the "Update Application" button after logging in
Follow the instructions and ensure your information is up to date and correct.
2 - By Mail
If you receive a notice by mail, you might have received a packet with a renewal form. You can return the completed renewal form and any supporting documents using the postage-paid envelope included in the packet.
3 - With an Enrollment Assistor
Enrollment Assistors are trained to help you find you assist with the health care plan for your needs.
If you already have an assistor, contact them and they can help you with the renewal
If you don't, you can find an assistor through the search tool by the NY State of Health.
4 - By Phone
You can renew your insurance over the phone by calling the NY State of Health Customer Service Center at 855-355-5777
They are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
If you have not received your notice and want to know when your renewal deadline is, here's what you can do.
If you are enrolled through your Local Department of Social Services (LDSS)
You have to complete the renewal form, attach required documents (copies, not original), and return the renewal packet before your deadline. You would have received the Medicaid renewal packet from your Local Department of Social Services.
Follow the instructions in the packet and you can return the completed renewal packet by
USPS mail
By fax
Upload via NYDocSubmit app
Drop it in person to your LDSS: find address to your local office
If you are enrolled through New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA)
Similarly to LDSS, you have to complete the renewal form, attach required documents (copies, not original), and return the renewal packet before your deadline. You would have received the Medicaid renewal packet from New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA).
Follow the instruction in the packet and return the completed renewal packet by
USPS mail
Online through Access HRA
Drop it in person to HRA
Documents You Might Need to Submit
You do not have to send every document you used during the application. The packet you receive will tell you exactly what they need to verify. If you know things have changed and a renewal is coming soon, you can be prepared with these documents:
1 - Proof of Income
A very common document that could be asked. If they have specific documents, they need for the proof it will be mentioned in the packet, but some acceptable forms are:
four consecutive pay stubs
a signed letter from your employer
your most recent tax return
an unemployment insurance award letter
2 - Proof of identity
If things have changed for you or your family since you applied or last renewed, these could be some documents you should have handy:
birth certificates
marriage records
or other documents showing who lives in your household
3 - Proof of residency
You have to confirm that you still live in New York. If address or county has changed these could be some documents to be prepared with:
utility bill
bank statement
government letter
lease agreement with your name and home address
The document must be dated within six months of your renewal.
Do not wait for the renewal time to report major changes, you can update it on your NY State of Health account or ACCESS HRA account.
Steps After You Submit
When the state receives your application and documents, the status is updated on the NY State of Health account or ACCESS HRA account. The processing time varies as the state is reviewing your information.
If it is approved, you will receive a notice with the details, and your existing Medicaid card and care plan should carry over.
If it is denied, you will receive notice with the details and reasons for the rejections. If you think it is wrong, you have a few days to request a fair hearing.
What If I Miss the Deadline?
It can be worrying but send the packet or submit application anyways when you have them ready. If your Medicaid is terminated, according to the federal rules, you have 90 days after the date of termination to submit the missing information. The state should treat the submission to reconsider your eligibility, and you do not have to start a new application.
If more than 90 days have passed since your termination date, you’ll likely need to submit a completely new application.
BURD Is Here to Support
While we cannot complete Medicaid applications, we can help you provide relevant resources, contacts, or support for the renewal process. We’re here to help during your renewal period and ensure you keep getting paid through CDPAP. If you receive any Medicaid letter, notify us by calling 833-447-3326. If there are changes to your Medicaid benefits, we can guide you on its effects on your care plan and your next steps.
