Medicaid News for Members: Post-COVID Changes
Keeping you informed
Renewals are coming back
The federal government has told Wisconsin that we need to get updated information from you to see if you still meet the rules to be enrolled in your Medicaid program. When you first applied for BadgerCare Plus or another Wisconsin Medicaid program, you told us about things like your household, income, assets, and insurance. To see if you can keep your benefits, we need to update that information every year. This process is called a renewal.
In mid-March or early April, we will send you a letter to let you know your next renewal due date. Your due date will be between June 30, 2023 and March 31, 2024. You can see an electronic copy of this letter, by logging into your account on access.wi.gov. This letter will help you plan ahead. You will get a renewal packet about 45 days before your renewal is due—that’s when you should take action.
What you can do right now
Keep your contact information up to date so we can reach you. Have you moved? Do we have your mailing address right? Do you want to get texts or emails to make sure you get important information about your BadgerCare Plus or Wisconsin Medicaid program?
- Add an email or cell phone number to your account with us.
- Update your information through your ACCESS account. Log in or set up an account at access.wi.gov or access.wi.gov/es (Spanish).
- Use the MyACCESS smartphone app to update your address or phone number. You can download the free app from the App Store or Google Play.
Watch your mailbox. We will be sending you letters to the address you have on file:
- In mid-March or early April 2023, you will get a letter telling you when your renewal is due. The first renewals aren’t due until the end of June 2023.
- About 45 days before your renewal is due, you will get a renewal packet in the mail. You should not renew your coverage until you get your renewal packet.
- You can see copies of what you get in the mail in your ACCESS account by logging into access.wi.gov.
Don't delay medical care! While your program membership continues, use your benefits. For example, if you have BadgerCare Plus, you can get vaccines, medical check-ups, and prescription refills. You can use mental health services, too. Learn more about what’s covered.
Staying in touch
Throughout the renewal process, we will reach out to you with your next steps and updates about your coverage. Our goal is to make sure you are aware of any changes affecting your benefits. We’ll use several ways to communicate with you to keep you informed.
Postal mail
All official notices from DHS will come through the mail, which is why it’s so important that we have your current address on file. You’ll receive renewal notices, requests for documents, and other information about your benefits.
Notifications
When we send out mail, we will also send an alert to your ACCESS account. Log in at access.wi.gov or access.wi.gov/es (Spanish). You can also check your MyACCESS smartphone app. Make sure to allow push notifications for MyACCESS in your phone settings.
Texts and emails
We are also starting to use texts and emails to let you know what’s new or when you need to take action. You'll receive important updates and critical, time-sensitive information about your benefits. Read more about texts and emails.
Questions and answers
Between June 2023 and May 2024, you will need to renew your Medicaid enrollment for the first time since March 2020. You'll get a letter from the state with your renewal due date and your next steps. We will use updated information to see if you still meet the rules to stay in your state Medicaid program.
When you first applied for BadgerCare Plus or another Wisconsin Medicaid program, you told us about things like your household, income, assets, and insurance. To see if you can keep your benefits, we need to update that information every year. This process is called a renewal. We will use updated information to see if you still meet the rules to stay in your state Medicaid program.
Wisconsin has scheduled renewal due dates for the 1.6 million members enrolled in its programs as evenly as possible over a 12-month period. In March and April 2023, DHS will send most households enrolled in any of Wisconsin’s Medicaid programs a letter telling them their assigned renewal date. The earliest due date is June 30, 2023, and the due date for the last group of members will be May 31, 2024. You can see your renewal date in your ACCESS account now, but you'll also get a letter in the mail.
You will get a renewal packet in the mail about 45 days before your due date that contains a pre-filled form that you can review, edit, and return by mail. You can also log in to the state’s website (or create an account) at access.wi.gov if you want to complete your renewal online. Once you get your packet, it's good to renew right away.
No. Do not renew until you get your renewal packet 45 days before your due date. Under federal guidelines, DHS must keep you covered until your next renewal. Renewing early could cause you to lose coverage earlier than your assigned renewal date.
Yes! You should make sure the state has your current contact information so we can send you important information.
- The easiest way is to make changes on the access.wi.gov website or use the MyACCESS smartphone app.
- You can also call your local agency. Search our agency webpage, find your county or tribe, and call the phone number for your regional call center (called a “consortium”). Wait times may be longer than usual due to high call volume. We recommend you use the website or the app for faster service.
To make sure you know about new messages in your ACCESS account, turn on push notifications for the MyACCESS app in your phone's settings.
- Messages in your account will be about important things that affect your benefits. Once you see a notification, open the MyACCESS app or log in at access.wi.gov or access.wi.gov/es (Spanish) to read your message and find out what you need to do.
If you know your contact information is up to date and you are ready to get messages from us, great! Watch for mail from us, read what we send you, and take action by the due dates.
ACCESS is an online account that you can set up to self-manage your benefits. You can set up your account at access.wi.gov or access.wi.gov/es (Spanish) or through MyACCESS. Once your account is set up, you can see digital copies of letters mailed to you, submit required documents, update contact details, and more.
MyACCESS is a free smartphone app that you can download from the App Store or Google Play and use on the go. MyACCESS has many of the same features as access.wi.gov, however, you can only apply for or renew benefits through the website.
“Unwinding” is a term our federal partners use to describe the actions states will take to resume routine operations for their Medicaid programs. It refers to the fact that we’re “unwinding” the temporary policies put into place during the pandemic. DHS is working with partners and stakeholders to inform members of what they need to know and do in the coming year to see if they still meet the rules to stay in their state Medicaid program.
The information on this page affects members in the following BadgerCare Plus and Medicaid programs:
- BadgerCare Plus
- Emergency Services Medicaid
- Family Planning Only Services
- Foster Care Medicaid
- Institutional Medicaid
- Katie Beckett Medicaid
- Medicaid Purchase Plan
- SeniorCare
- Supplemental Security Income Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income-Related Medicaid
- Tuberculosis-Related Medicaid
- Waiver Medicaid
- Wisconsin Well Woman Medicaid