Public health emergency renewed

The U.S Department of Health has officially renewed the public health emergency that took effect back in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, thereby extending the validity period of Presumptive Eligibility for Medicaid.

Earlier in August, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. announced that the national public health emergency of Jan. 31, 2020, would most likely be renewed due to the U.S. Department of Health’s failure to provide a two-months’ notice lifting the advisory.

With the renewal of the national public health emergency comes the extension of the Presumptive Eligibility for Medicaid.

Local health industry workers have recently been advising those applying for Presumptive Medicaid, or are dependent on it, that it is not certain yet whether or not the validity of Presumptive Medicaid would be extended to January 2023 because there was no announcement from the U.S. Department of Health. Some healthcare providers have even started informing consumers that Presumptive Medicaid may not be accepted after Oct. 18.

Fortunately, as of Oct. 13, 2022, U.S Department of Health Secretary Xavier Becerra officially renewed the public health emergency, which therefore extends the validity period of Presumptive Medicaid.

“As a result of the continued consequences of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic, on this date and after consultation with public health officials as necessary, I, Xavier Becerra, secretary of Health and Human Services, pursuant to the authority vested in me under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, do hereby renew, effective Oct. 13, 2022, the Jan. 31, 2020, determination by former secretary Alex M. Azar II, that he previously renewed on April 21, 2020, July 23, 2020, Oct. 2, 2020, and Jan. 7, 2021, and that I renewed on April 15, 2021, July 19, 2021, Oct. 15, 2021, Jan. 14, 2022, April 12, 2022, and July 15, 2022, that a public health emergency exists and has existed since Jan. 27, 2020, nationwide,” the secretary stated.

This means the validity of Presumptive Medicaid has officially been extended to January 2023 and those interested in applying may do so.

Presumptive eligibility, or PE, is an expedited process of enrolling eligible residents in the CNMI Medicaid program. It allows patients to have their care covered while waiting for their application to be fully processed.

It offers immediate access to health care while applying for regular Medicaid or other health coverage. You can start using PE for Medicaid coverage right away for Medicaid covered services, such as doctor visits, hospital care, and some prescription drugs.
Starting the day you are approved for PE, you are able to go to any health care provider that accepts Medicaid.

Individuals and families are eligible for Medicaid if their attested gross income does not exceed 180% of the Supplemental Security Income federal benefit, which is about $28,800 annually for a family of four.