Who sends it: Your state Medicaid agency, usually once a year.
What this letter is
Medicaid is run by each state, so the letter comes from your state's Medicaid or human services agency, and its name and look vary. To keep you covered, the state must check, usually once a year, that you still qualify.
States first try to renew you using records they already have. If that works, you get a letter saying you were renewed. If not, you get a renewal form, often filled in with what the state already knows, to check, correct and send back.
Which letter is it?
- You were renewed: read it to be sure the details are right.
- Please complete and return this form: action is needed by the date printed.
- We need more information or proof: send what is asked for by the date printed.
- Your coverage will end or change: this notice explains why and how to ask for a fair hearing.
What to check
- Your mailing address. If the state has an old one, you may miss its letters.
- The people in your household and the income listed
- Bank accounts or other assets, if your state asks about them. This is common for people 65 and older and for long-term care.
- Any help paying Medicare costs listed on the letter, which may be renewed at the same time
- The due date
What to do
- Answer every question the form asks, then sign and date it.
- Send it back by the date on the letter, in one of the ways the letter lists: online, by mail, by phone or in person.
- Keep a copy and write down the date you sent it. If you mail it, ask the post office for proof of mailing.
- If you cannot get papers in time, call the number on the letter before the deadline and ask what to do.
- Report changes, like a move or new income, when the letter asks.
If your coverage ends
You will get a written notice before coverage ends. It explains why and how to ask for a fair hearing, with a deadline. If you lost coverage only because a form was late or missing, call your state Medicaid office right away. Many states can restore coverage without a whole new application if you send the information within a set time.
For free help, contact a local legal aid office, or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to find local aging services.
How to tell a real one from a fake
A real renewal letter has your state agency's name and your case number. You can check it by calling the number on your Medicaid card or on your state agency's official website. Medicaid does not charge a fee to renew and does not take payment by gift card, wire or payment app. Hang up on callers who say you must pay to keep your coverage.
Have one in front of you?
Take a clear photo and text it to Uncle at +1 208 214 0093. He tells you in plain words what it says, what it wants from you, and anything that looks wrong. How to take a clear photo.
This page explains what this kind of letter usually means. Your letter is the final word on your dates and amounts. For a decision about taxes, health coverage or a legal matter, call the office that sent it, using the number on its official website, or ask a professional you trust.
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Written by the Textuncle team. Last updated October 3, 2026.
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