Department of Social Services
Family Support Division
PO Box 2320
Jefferson City, Missouri
TO: ALL FAMILY SUPPORT OFFICES
FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: RESTARTING CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP) PREMIUMS, MO HEALTHNET SPEND DOWN (MHSD) PAYMENTS, AND TICKET TO WORK HEALTH ASSURANCE (TWHA) PREMIUM PAYMENTS; CONTINUOUS ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILDREN
DISCUSSION:
In May, 2024, the “unwinding” period, as a result of the Public Health Emergency (PHE), will be over, and normal operations will resume.
This means that beginning June 1, 2024, all participants who are eligible for Ticket to Work Health Assurance in the “premium group”, or Children’s Health Insurance Program in the “premium group”, or MO HealthNet Spend Down will have to pay their premium or pay/meet their spend down before their MO HealthNet (MHN) services are covered. Letters will be mailed in March to notify participants of this policy.
This means that participants will need to pay their June invoice in May to have coverage on June 1, 2024. They must pay their TWHA or CHIP premium each month after that for coverage to continue. If they are in the Spend Down program, they must pay/meet their spend down for any month after May 2024 for which they would like MO HealthNet coverage.
This does not change the amount of their premium or spend down. Participants can pay their premium or spend down online by creating an account at memberportal.mymohealthportal.com.
Between now and June 1, 2024, until a participant’s annual renewal is completed, MHD will continue to provide coverage as it did during the PHE. If, after their annual renewal, a participant moves to a category that requires a premium or Spend Down payment, their coverage will also continue, regardless of payment, until May 31, 2024. Children covered through the CHIP program will also have their coverage provided until May 31, 2024, regardless of payment. After May 31, 2024, children moving from Medicaid for Children to CHIP must pay the first invoice before they receive continuous coverage.
*Beginning January 1, 2024, Continuous Eligibility for Children has begun. This means children eligible for MO HealthNet will have continuous eligibility for 12 months, even if their family circumstances change, such as an increase in income. For children in the CHIP Premium program, payment of the first month’s CHIP premium will be required before an eligible child can be enrolled in CHIP, but further non-payment of CHIP premiums, after the first month’s premium is paid, will not terminate a child’s CHIP eligibility for the remaining duration of the 12-month period.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
KE/