As of Saturday, the Hawai‘i Department of Human Services is urging all Medicaid Fee-For-Serivce and QUEST recipients to check their mail during their renewal month for an important letter regarding documents that may be needed for U.S. citizenship and identity
As of Saturday, the Hawai‘i Department of Human Services is urging all Medicaid Fee-For-Serivce and QUEST recipients to check their mail during their renewal month for an important letter regarding documents that may be needed for U.S. citizenship and identity verification, a press release states.
Officials said recipients should not worry about benefits, but should immediately open letters from the DHS Med-QUEST Division and follow the directions.
Med-QUEST provides health insurance for approximately 204,000 adults and children in low-income households statewide. Under the Deficit Reduction Act approved by Congress earlier this year, proof of U.S. Citizenship and identity is required for all Medicaid recipients. Since April 2005, DHS has collaborated with at task force, organized by Hawai‘i Covering Kids, that includes approximately 35 federal, state and community organizations as well as QUEST health plans.
The task force has helped Med-QUEST establish system links with the Social Security Administration, the state DOH Vital Records, Attorney General’s State Identification Office and other appropriated agencies where the required information my be recorded. This will help many Medicaid FFS and QUEST recipients retain their benefits without burdensome searches for documents, the release states.
Med-QUEST is working with numerous agencies to provide assistance for those who need help. There will also be a public awareness campaign through direct mail letter, news releases, Internet postings and media advertisements. In addition, DHS will contact Med-QUEST recipients via health fairs, hospitals, community health centers, physician’s offices, pharmacies and other appropriate venues.
“Our message is we care about your health and need you to help us by checking your mail for Med-QUEST letters,” DHS director Lillian Koller said in the release. “If we need documents, the letter will provide details and ask the recipient to call 211 for more information.”
Officials said this is a one-time requirement, and documents will only be requested during the household’s renewal month and for new applicants if the documents cannot be found through agency data system interfaces.
“We are committed to retaining all eligible Medicaid FFS and QUEST recipients without any disruption of service,” Koller said.
