Renewing eligibility and reporting changes for health care programs

When you are due to renew your Medical Assistance eligibility, you will receive a notice from DHS explaining what you need to do. You do not need to do anything until you get this notice. Your notice will say one of the following:

• Your eligibility was renewed automatically and you don't have to do anything unless you have a change to report.
• You must return the enclosed form within 45 days of the date printed on the notice to see whether you remain eligible to keep your health care coverage.

You have 45 days from the date printed on your renewal to return your form. You could lose your health care coverage for one or more months if you return your form after the 45 days. Be sure to follow the instructions on the notice.

All MinnesotaCare members must verify that they remain eligible for MinnesotaCare by the end of the year. You will receive a notice from DHS explaining what you need to do to renew your eligibility. You do not need to do anything until you get this notice. Your notice will say one of the following:

• Your eligibility was renewed automatically and you don’t have to do anything unless you have a change to report
• You must return the enclosed form within 45 days of the date printed on the notice to see whether you remain eligible to keep your health care coverage

You will have 45 days from the date printed on your renewal to return your form. You could lose your health care coverage for one or more months if you return your form after 45 days. 

You must continue to pay your premiums on time during the renewal process.

Read the answers to frequently asked questions about renewing MinnesotaCare coverage to help complete the renewal form and save yourself time and phone calls. Review the Health Care Renewal Checklist to ensure you return an accurate and complete renewal form to avoid any delays in processing.

If you or members of your household have Medical Assistance (no one has MinnesotaCare):

• Call or visit your county agency.
• Call or visit a certified navigator. Navigators are available throughout the state. They can answer basic questions and help you fill out the renewal form and fax documents. Navigators do not process renewal forms or have access to the system to make changes to your case.

If members of your household have MinnesotaCare or MinnesotaCare and Medical Assistance:

• Read the answers to frequently asked questions about renewing MinnesotaCare coverage to help complete the renewal form and save yourself time and phone calls. Review the Health Care Renewal Checklist to ensure you return an accurate and complete renewal form to avoid any delays in processing.
• Call or visit a certified navigator. Navigators are available throughout the state. They can answer basic questions and help you fill out the renewal form and fax documents to MinnesotaCare or your county or tribal agency. Navigators do not process renewal forms or have access to the eligibility system to make changes to your case.
• Call or visit MinnesotaCare Operations.

Note: If you do not need to meet with a worker, you can drop off renewal forms and required proofs to the return address listed on the renewal or at any county, tribal, MinnesotaCare or navigator office. If you need to meet with a worker, you must go to the agency listed on your renewal notice.

• DHS will notify you when your form has been processed and whether your eligibility is renewed or requires more information for a determination to be made. 
• Renewal forms are processed in the order they are received at the agency. 
• An automated phone system is available 24 hours, seven days a week, and can tell you whether your form has been received and processed at DHS. Call MinnesotaCare at 800-657-3672 or 651-297-3862 and follow the voice prompts.
• Processing will be delayed if you send an unsigned or incomplete renewal form that requires more information.

• Continue to pay the amount shown on your invoice. Your MinnesotaCare premium may change after your renewal form is processed.
• The premium notices you get in November and December may show a premium amount of “unknown” instead of a dollar amount. If you already returned your renewal form, this means that it hasn’t been processed or received or the agency is waiting for more information from you. If you have not returned your renewal form, you must return it by the due date or your eligibility will end December 31.

You must report all changes on your renewal form. Include changes that have been previously reported to your servicing agency and are not on the prepopulated renewal form. 

Report all changes, including the following: 

• Where you live
• Who lives with you
• The people you list as dependents on your income taxes
• Income
• Other health insurance starting or ending
• Minnesota residency
• Citizenship or immigration status
• Incarceration status
• Pregnancy

If you do not know whether a change is important to your eligibility, report it and let your worker decide. More information is in the Your Responsibilities brochure (PDF). Your worker may ask you to submit a Change Report Form (DHS-4796) (PDF) with the new information.

• County and tribal offices
• Certified navigators
• MinnesotaCare office
• Minnesota Health Care Programs Member Help Desk