Got Medicaid? Get ready to renew! 🏥✅
Dear Neighbor,
This week I’m writing to talk about an important update to Medicaid coverage in Illinois — annual eligibility renewals will resume this year as soon as the beginning of May. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Federal, State, and local governments increased benefits and relaxed eligibility requirements for vital programs, like Medicaid and SNAP, to help reduce the negative financial impact of the pandemic.
For those that are eligible, Medicaid pays for your healthcare coverage, like doctor visits, prescription medicine, and urgent emergency services — and in Illinois, children and people 42 or older can qualify for coverage regardless of their immigration status.
Before the pandemic began, Medicaid recipients had to “renew” their eligibility every year, but due to a pandemic-era protection called “continuous enrollment”, Medicaid recipients have not been asked to renew their eligibility since March 2020. When continuous enrollment ends in early May, annual eligibility verifications will restart, which means anyone who is currently on Medicaid will need to renew their eligibility again this year or they risk losing coverage.
If you or someone you know is currently a Medicaid recipient, you can start the renewal process through the Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) website by visiting abe.illinois.gov and clicking on Manage My Case to set up your online account.
Once you’re there, you should:
Verify that your mailing address is correct to make sure you get your renewal notices (addresses are listed in the 'Contact Us' tab).
Look up your due date so you know when it’s your time to renew (due dates are in the 'Benefit Details' tab).
Watch for a notice in the mail and then complete your renewal right away!
The sad reality is that most people who lose coverage never responded to their renewal notice, but if everybody pitches in to spread the word amongst our family, friends, and neighbors, we can make a big difference in the tragic gap in health equity for hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois.
Lastly, Get Covered Illinois is the official Affordable Care Act marketplace for Illinois. It offers free enrollment assistance and can help people find out if they qualify for financial help. You can call 1-800-843-6154 for help with your Medicaid renewal, and as always, my office is here to connect you with support services via email or phone at will@repguzzardi.com and (773) 853-2570.
Thank you for reading and helping spread the word.
Be well and stay safe —
UNITY PARK EASTER EGG HUNT
The Unity Park Advisory Council is hosting a FREE Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 8 from 10am to noon at Unity Park on 2636 N. Kimball.
The event will feature four "egg hunts" one every half hour, open to kids of all ages. It will also feature other games and activities for the family, as well as a special appearance by the Easter bunny.
Remember to bring your own bag or basket. In case of rain, the event will be held at Grace Church, 3325 W Wrightwood.
HOLSTEIN PARK EGG HUNT
Join Friends of Holstein Park on Saturday, April 1st at 10am for their annual Easter Egg Hunt at Senior Citizens Memorial Park (2228 N Oakley Ave). Register to attend at www.friendsofholsteinpark.org and remember to bring your own bag or baskets.
You can also help make this a true community event by donating some candy to fill eggs for the kids. Donations are currently being accepted at the Holstein Park field house.
BELMONT CRAGIN GARDEN EASTER EVENT
The Belmont Cragin Community Garden is hosting its second annual Easter Event at the garden (4646 W. Parker Ave.) on March 31st. Egg hunts for children ages 0-5 will be held on from 1:30 to 3pm, and for children 6-12 from 4pm to 6pm — weather permitting.
There will also be other games, cash concessions, raffles, and pictures with the Easter Bunny.
KOZ PARK SPRING BENEFIT
Join the Koz Park Advisory Council for their Spring Benefit on Thursday April 13th at Reed’s Local from 7pm-10pm. Every ticket includes unlimited food from neighborhood restaurants, one adult beverage, and enters you into raffles throughout the night. Prizes include gift certificates for dinners and experiences at local businesses.
100% of the proceeds will fund free events in Kosciuszko Park this summer including family-friendly movies, live music performances, the little league program, and swim team.