Because of the pandemic, the federal government allowed Pennsylvania and other states to continue Medicaid (also known as Medical Assistance or MA) and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage for most people even if they were not eligible anymore. This policy is ended on March 31, 2023. After April 1, 2023, if you do not complete your renewal when it is due, you risk losing your health coverage.
What does this mean?
You will get a renewal packet in the mail when it is time to renew your state health coverage.
It is very important that you complete and return your renewal by the due date. You will need to complete your renewal if your circumstances like income or household size have changed OR if nothing has changed.
By completing your renewal, DHS can keep your state health coverage open or connect you to other affordable health coverage options if you are no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP. There are four ways you can complete and submit your renewal:
- By mail — Complete and return the forms by mailing them back in the provided envelope
- Online — Complete your renewal online in COMPASS
- Telephone — Call 1-866-550-4355 to talk to a customer service representative
- In-Person — Complete and submit your renewal in person at any local county assistance office (CAO)
Completing your renewal will help DHS determine if you are still eligible for health coverage through the state. If you are still eligible, your Medicaid or CHIP coverage will continue. If you are no longer eligible, you will be automatically referred to Pennie®.
Click here for more information.
NAMI Main Line Upcoming Support Groups
Our NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group for adults living with mental illness on meets on Tuesday evenings. This group will have in-person meetings on the1st and 3rd Tuesdays and Zoom Meetings on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month. Please contact Danielle Sulpizio at (484) 880-0660 or Ed Kane at (484) 744-0860 for more information.
Our Parent Peer Support Group for parents with a middle school through young adult child meets weekly on Wednesday evenings via Zoom. If you are interested in joining this support group, please email Nancy.
Our next Wellness Chat for Family-to-Family Graduates will be on Thursday, May 25, at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Please contact Judy at F2FMainLine@aol.com for the meeting information.
Other Events
NAMI Keystone PA’s 2023 Pennsylvania Mental Health and Wellness Conference will take place in person on May 22-23 at the Best Western Premier: The Central Hotel and Conference Center in Harrisburg. The annual event is an opportunity for peers, caregivers, advocates, and mental health professionals to experience a one-of-a-kind conference that will provide a platform to learn, share, and network. The conference will feature keynote presentations, workshops, resource tables, and networking. Continuing Education Credits will be offered. For more information and to register, please go to https://www.namikeystonepa.
The Pennsylvania Care Partnership is hosting “Is It Substance Abuse, Is It Mental Health, or Is It Both?,” with speakers Kevin Puskaric and Jamal Ford on Thursday, May 25, from 12-1:30 p.m. on Zoom. Participants will leave with a better understanding of “co-occurring”, where it begins, and how it grows. When a mental health issue exists, whether diagnosed or not, participants will learn how they are at risk of substance addiction. Participants will also learn why a substance abuse addiction can trigger a mental health issue. Often youth using drugs and alcohol are too young to understand or believe they are at risk of addiction. Kevin will tell his story of addiction as a teen through his recovery and his work today. Jamal will share his work at a halfway house with youth with juvenile justice issues and addiction. For more information and to register, go to https://tinyurl.com/36772bxj.
