Several places in Springfield where you can get help in Medicaid renewal now required by law

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - It started in March 2020 during the pandemic: a decision by the federal government to maintain Medicaid coverage for most enrollees and not terminate anyone signed up.

But as of the end of March 2023, the system is back to before COVID, where 92 million Medicaid patients across the country must re-enroll annually and provide proof of their eligibility.

There are three ways to get information on that renewal requirement:

• Online at the Missouri Department of Social Services website.
• Over the phone at 855-373-4636.
• Or in person through a local resource center or community health center.

Those local resource centers in Springfield are:

Springfield-Greene County Health (health.springfieldmo.gov), where you can fill out the interest form, and someone will contact you.

Jordan Valley Community Health Center-Call 417-831-0150. For more information, head to their website.

Springfield Resource Center-Visit 101 Park Central Square Springfield, MO 65806, where walk-ins are welcome, but you can make an appointment by calling 855-373-4636

Southwest Missouri Office on Aging Outreach Center (SeniorAge)-Visit 1735 S Fort Ave. Springfield, MO 65807, where walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred. Call 417-862-0762.

A visit to the Jordan Valley Community Health Center on Wednesday found easy access to information with signs on display as soon as you walk through the front door showing where to go for help and what to do to get ready to re-enroll.

While the requirement to re-enroll began this month (April), officials point out that you don’t have to go through the process until your annual membership is up for renewal.

“So if you renewed or signed up originally in August, you’ll renew in August of this year,” explained Sarah Long, Jordan Valley Health’s Director of Oral Health Services. “You’ll get a letter 90 days prior to August that helps you with what you need to gather and submit.”

And considering that letter is how the government is communicating with you about your re-enrollment, there’s only one thing you need to do right now.

“One of the most important steps in this renewal process is having accurate address information with MoHealthNet,” Long said.

So if you’ve moved since the pandemic, you need to notify the Missouri Dept. of Social Services as soon as possible so they can contact you when it’s time to re-enroll.

“You’ll be asked to update your housing information, income, address, and any family changes that have happened over the last 12 months,” Long said. “You may have had a change in marital status or had a baby. Your children may have graduated and moved out. Those are important pieces of information they need in the renewal process.”

Long also pointed out that because of the automatic renewal during the pandemic, some people may need help now that applying is required again.

“For individuals who have had Medicaid for two years during COVID and haven’t had to go through the renewal process, this could be really cumbersome,” she said. “This may be the first time they’ve had to renew their Medicaid coverage. So connecting with us at one of our Jordan Valley locations will let us walk you through those processes. We want to be a resource for our patients in more than just their healthcare. The financial component of renewing their Medicaid is really important to us as well.”

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