Medi-Cal beneficiaries must verify eligibility annually. However, during the COVID-19 public health emergency special federal rules suspended this verification of Medi-Cal eligibility allowing continuous coverage to ensure individuals were able to access care. The public health emergency has since ended and all Medicaid programs throughout the nation must verify eligibility.
For the first time since 2020, Medi-Cal beneficiaries will need to start verifying their income eligibility to maintain their coverage.
Dentists who take Medi-Cal in their practice may start to see patients who have lost their Medi-Cal coverage. To help avoid this situation, dentists can share outreach materials with their Medi-Cal patients and can post flyers in their offices to raise awareness that continuous coverage has ended. Materials are available in many languages.
Outdated contact information for beneficiaries presents a major hurdle to verifying Medi-Cal eligibility.
All Medi-Cal beneficiaries are encouraged to update their contact information and report any changes in personal circumstances to their local county offices and health plans to ensure they receive important updates about their coverage. Beneficiaries should check their mail for a yellow envelope containing a Medi-Cal renewal form and complete and return it by the due date printed on the form.
Medi-Cal provides dental coverage for over 15 million people in California, making it the largest source of dental coverage in the state. To keep eligible individuals enrolled and receiving health and dental care, all providers are encouraged to help with outreach.
Learn more from the California Department of Health Care Services about the end of the continuous coverage requirement.