While there is a large focus at the moment on ex parte renewals and the benefit that they can bring to states, a majority of the Medicaid population will still have to complete a manual renewal. Populations required to complete a manual renewal include people with income that cannot be verified electronically, non-citizens, and newborns. Filling out and completing a manual renewal form is complex and time-intensive for many to complete. This can result in vast losses of coverage as members struggle to navigate the manual process of renewing their coverage.
Human-centered design can bring large improvements to this process, and result in coverage retention for the most vulnerable populations. Measurement is an important part of this, but not one that is mandated at the current moment. Improving the manual renewal process can mean helping a state understand where the roadblocks are and helping them overcome them with best practices or innovative pilots.
This playbook is NOT a source of authoritative, legal, or regulatory guidance and has not been officially endorsed by the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS). It is advisory only, and should be adapted appropriately for each state and scenario. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of state Medicaid officials to ensure that implementation of any project is compliant with federal Medicaid statute and regulations. Refer to CMCS’s website for up to date official guidance.