The Center for Medicaid and CHOP Services (CMCS) is the state and federal organization founded in 1965 by the US government to run medical assistance programs like Medicaid, the Basic Health Program (BHP), and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Medicaid is the one with the most coverage in the country, providing medical assistance to over 72.5 million American citizens. Its primary mission is to guarantee quality health to low-income families, qualified pregnant women, seniors, parents, and disabled people that are not capable of providing this service to themselves.
In this article, we will explain more about this subject, and specifically how to check if your Medicaid is active.
How to find my Medicaid number?
When you get the medical coverage, you receive a Medicaid card that contains your personal information, including the Medicaid Number (it is like a credit or debit card). Generally, the number is on the front of the card.
In this photo, you can see a Texas Medicaid card sample:
If you do not have it, there are still two options to obtain the number:
Call your state’s Medicaid office.
Since this is one of the largest health coverage services in the country, there is an agency of the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NASMD) in every state. The members of this association are authorized to attend the needs of the people covered by this program.
The only thing you need to do is to find the office of the state where you live, call them, and ask for your Medicaid Number.
For your comfort, in this link, you can find the name of the director and the phone number of the NASMD office corresponding to your state.
You may have to tell them your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and your address.
Check on the official website.
In some cases, Medicaid offices have online portals where you can find all the information about this service.
You have to sign up (or login in case you already have an account), click in your health program, and you will see your Medicaid number.
If you live in Texas, here is the official website to check your program, and in case you do not have an account, you can sign up here.
Note that certain states do not have this online service, but you can still try with the first option.
How to know if my Medicaid is active?
Once it is determined that you are eligible for Medicaid assistance, the coverage will be effective since the date of your application, or since the first day of the month when you applied.
Both dates can be considered as the “initial day of coverage,” which means that it is active from that moment. But how do you know which is the correct one for you?
It will depend specifically on your case and your medical and economic records. The Center for Medicaid’s office will inform you of the exact date assigned to you.
Besides, your coverage could work retroactively for up three months before the month you applied, only if you fulfill the requirements during that period.
However, if you do not have this information, you can repeat the two steps mentioned above:
- Call your state’s Medicaid office. You can call the NASMD corresponding to your state and request your Medicaid coverage status. They will ask you for your Medicaid Number since it helps to identify your case and the type of program you have.
- Check on the official website. In the same way, you can check if the Medicaid coverage is active by visiting the state’s program website. Just log in and verify the status in your dashboard.
In case you no longer meet the requirements to be eligible, your coverage may not be active anymore. Despite that, if the coverage stops, you can still file an appeal for your case to be reconsidered.
If you confirm that your Medicaid is still active, then you might as well receive a stimulus check in the future. This benefit can help you and your family whole, so do not miss this opportunity.