PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) – The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and Pennie are reminding Pennsylvanians of the upcoming end of the pandemic flexibilities for Medicaid and CHIP coverage.

They’re also making it known that the Shapiro Administration has committed to helping Pennsylvanians stay covered when those changes take effect.

As of right now, the federal changes are set to take effect on Saturday, April 1.

Starting in 2020, the federal public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic allowed individuals to continue to remain enrolled in Medicaid even if they became ineligible based on regular eligibility criteria, except in rare circumstances. This is also known as the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement.

In December 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 into law, which effectively ends the continuous coverage requirement on March 31, 2023.

Beginning April 1, 2023, all Pennsylvanians must once again return to completing an annual renewal when it is due to maintaining Medicaid or CHIP coverage

No one will lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage without an opportunity to renew their coverage or update their information. Renewals will be completed over 12 months, and renewals due in March 2023 will be the first to be affected by the end of continuous coverage. All Medicaid recipients will need to go through a renewal process around the time of their normal renewal date over that 12-month period to determine if they are still eligible for Medicaid.

Pennsylvanians can update their contact information, report changes in their personal circumstances, and check their renewal date:

• Online at www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS

• Via the free myCOMPASS PA Mobile App

• By calling 1-866-550-4355 (215-560-7226 if they live in Philadelphia)

Those losing Medicaid or CHIP coverage can apply for coverage through pennie.com, and some individuals will have their information securely transferred from Medicaid or CHIP for an easier enrollment process.

Customers can simply call Pennie Customer Service at 1-844-844-8040 or find Pennie-certified pros at pennie.com/connect.

The Department of Human Services, along with Pennie and other agencies across the Commonwealth, is undertaking an aggressive, multi-pronged outreach plan to inform Pennsylvanians of upcoming changes.

To learn more about Medicaid and CHIP renewals and access educational resources, visit the Medical Assistance & Chip Renewals website.