Medical Assistance for Families with Children and Adults

2.2.4.2 Renewals

Enrollees in Medical Assistance for Families with Children and Adults (MA-FCA) must have eligibility renewed every 12 months. The first annual renewal is 12 months from the month of application and renewals occur annually thereafter as long as the enrollee remains eligible for MA. Eligibility for retroactive coverage months do not affect when an enrollee’s annual renewal occurs.

The agency must make a redetermination of MA-FCA eligibility without requiring information from the enrollee, if able to do so based on reliable information contained in the enrollee's case file and other information accessed through electronic data sources.

Enrollees in MA for Families and Children with a Medical Spenddown must complete an annual renewal and a six-month income renewal. See MA for Families with Children and Adults Medical Spenddown for more information.

Annual Renewal Month

The annual renewal month is the month in which eligibility is redetermined for the next 12 months. The first annual renewal month after application is 12 months from the month of application and occurs annually thereafter as long as the enrollee remains eligible for MA.

Consent to Use Federal Tax Information

Applicants have the option when completing the application to allow the use of income data from the Internal Revenue Service to renew eligibility. Applicants choose one of six options for authorizing automatic eligibility redeterminations:

Five years
Four years
Three years
Two years
One year
Do not use information from my tax returns to renew my coverage

When authorized by the applicant, eligibility is redetermined using information in the case file that can be verified through electronic data sources.

Automatically Renewed MA-FCA Enrollees

Enrollees who have their eligibility automatically renewed receive a notice that includes a summary of the information used to renew their eligibility. If all of the information is correct, the enrollee does not need to do anything. If any of the information is inaccurate, the enrollee must report any corrections or changes.

Renewal Form for MA-FCA Enrollees

Enrollees whose eligibility is not automatically renewed will receive a renewal form. Enrollees must review, make any changes or updates, sign and return the renewal form to their servicing agency within 30 days from the issuance date on the renewal notice.

Late Renewals

A late renewal is a renewal for which either of the following is true:

the renewal form is received before the last day of the fourth month following closure
any additional information or verifications that were required are received before the last day of the fourth month following closure

Eligibility for enrollees who do not return the renewal form, or who return the form but do not provide all the information and verifications needed to renew eligibility, is closed. However, eligibility for enrollees who are closed for failing to renew may be redetermined without requiring a new application if the form is returned within four months of the date of closure. A late renewal is a new application. All application policies apply.

When Eligibility Ends at Renewal

Changes reported during an enrollee’s renewal may affect an MA enrollee's basis of eligibility. Enrollees who lose eligibility under one basis must be redetermined for all health care programs they are potentially eligible for, without interruption in their coverage. See EPM 1.3.2.1 Change in Circumstances for more information.

Legal Citations

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.916

Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.056, subdivision 7a