Update on MaineCare:
Citizenship & Identity Requirement
As you may know, MaineCare now requires proof of citizenship and identity for many people to get or keep their coverage.
The good news is that the vast majority of MaineCare members have met this requirement. Unfortunately, there are thousands of
MaineCare members who have not. As of April 22, 2008, about 2,200 people have lost their MaineCare because they have not
gotten their documents to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in time. Once people fall off the program,
they cannot get back on until they provide documents to prove their citizenship and identity.
One of the biggest problems is that parents have not been filling out a simple form to prove the identity of their children.
The form is available at DHHS offices, or get it here:
For children 15 and under
For children ages 16 and 17 who do not have school photo ID's
It’s very important that families fill out this form if they don’t have other documents to prove their children’s identity.
DHHS no longer has a hotline to help people get their documents. But, Consumers for Affordable Health Care (CAHC)
has a Help Line. CAHC can answer questions about the citizenship and identity verification requirement. They will also walk
people through the steps they need to take to get the necessary documentation.
CAHC Help Line for Citizenship & Identity Requirement
1-800-965-7476
Maine Equal Justice Partners is paying close attention to two groups who receive MaineCare to make sure that their health care coverage
continues:
- Children whose parents pay premiums for their coverage are not required under federal law to provide documentation.
(These are children who are on SCHIP.)
- People in the ‘childless adult’ program (also known as non-categoricals) should not lose their MaineCare at this time
because they do not meet the citizenship and identity verification requirement.
Please let MEJP know if you or people you work with run into any problems in either of these programs because of the
documentation requirements. Contact MEJP toll-free at: 1-866-626-7059.
Get more information on this MaineCare requirement
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