What a month it has been since the end of open enrollment! Following a record-setting season where 38,565 Wyomingites signed up for marketplace health coverage, members of Enroll Wyoming have remained busy.

We continued our usual duties of crisscrossing the state, offering free assistance to find health coverage solutions and sign up qualified individuals for special enrollment. We also partnered with the Wyoming Primary Care Association to host an open enrollment debriefing, gathered for our quarterly staff retreat, and are preparing for the waves of families that will need health coverage. We will go into more detail about all three in this newsletter.

Before we do that, we want to again thank to our partners who helped us achieve a banner Open Enrollment season. Whether you hosted an event, shared a post, put up a poster, passed a business card, or simply told a friend, you extended the positive impact of our outreach. More people are living longer, better lives. Thank you for what you've done!

Many people remain uninsured and unaware of helpful resources, so our work continues. Here's to the start of another record-setting run.

-- Caleb Michael Smith, Enroll Wyoming marketing director

Those who lose health coverage qualify for special enrollment

A date has been set for the end of the national public health emergency that was declared to offer more resources to those impacted by the coronavirus. It is important that enrollees in Wyoming Medicaid, including those in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), update their contact information so they can be easily reached during the unwinding process.

During the federal public health emergency, extra funding was available so programs like Wyoming Medicaid and CHIP could maintain continuous enrollment for anyone who was eligible. That means enrollees kept the health coverage provided by these programs and did not have to worry about reapplying or meeting existing requirements.

Normally there is a bit of turnover in these programs as people age out or no longer meet income requirements. With enrollment being continuous for nearly three years, Wyoming Medicaid numbers have grown from 58,000 people in March 2020 to about 87,000 as of Dec 31, 2022.

Program enrollees can update their contact details at www.wesystem.wyo.gov or by calling 1-855-294-2127.

Starting March 1, the programs will send out eligibility letters to explain the review process. In April, the eligibility evaluations will begin. They will be spread out over the course of a year, but those who no longer meet program requirements will be prioritized within the first few months. The application process can take up to 45 days.

-- If enough information is available to determine continued eligibility, the state will renew the enrollment and issue a notice.

-- If there is not enough information available to determine continued eligibility, the state will send a form requesting more information. An individual has at least 30 days to return the form. This is why it is vital to have a current address on file.

-- If the state determines an individual is no longer eligible for the programs, it will issue a notice. Those who lose their Medicaid or CHIP coverage will qualify for special enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Nationally, more than 15 million will likely lose their Medicaid or CHIP coverage. In Wyoming, up to 30,000 are expected to lose their health coverage starting as soon as the end of April.

Those who want to help the people impacted by the unwinding process can raise awareness about the pending evaluations; make sure enrollees have provided up-to-date contact information; review eligibility guidelines like income standards, age, and household composition; and be prepared to help people find alternative coverage, like through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Enroll Wyoming is one of many groups working to let people know about available resources so they can avoid gaps in health coverage.

We are asking partners and individuals to help spread the word by sharing the informational graphics included above and below. 

One of the questions we hear this time of year is, "Is open enrollment still open?"

While the short answer is "no," that doesn't necessarily mean that one must wait until 2024 for Health Insurance Marketplace coverage to begin. They may qualify for special enrollment periods.

It is more difficult to get approved for a marketplace health insurance plan outside of open enrollment. Instead of just signing up for coverage whenever you want, people must qualify based on specific requirements. They are typically life-changing events like changes in household, loss of health coverage, or changes in residence.

-- Household changes may involve getting married, having a baby, adopting a child.

-- Loss of health coverage could include the loss of job-based coverage, growing too old to remain on your parents' plan, or being ruled ineligible to continue Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage.

-- Residence changes may include changing ZIP codes as one moves to or from school, a job, a shelter, or seasonal housing.

Typically, people will have 60 days to sign up for marketplace coverage once one of these events occur. In some cases, such as the loss of Medicaid or CHIP coverage, the window is longer.

To learn more about special enrollment, contact a member of Enroll Wyoming by dialing 211, visiting our webpage, or scrolling down to see our staff list.

Health insurance is a complex thing. We at Enroll Wyoming work hard to keep up with constant changes and challenges. We are available as a free resource – to groups large and small – to answer questions and help people find solutions that meet their needs.

Are you a business or nonprofit that wants to offer quality coverage to your employees? Do you work with clients who are going to be impacted by the Wyoming Medicare and Child Care CHIP unwinding? Do you (or someone you know) host job fairs, health fairs, or other community events? Please reach out to us!

We have flyers and posters and Bandage Dan cutouts and a passion to put information in the hands of people who need it. You can connect directly with us at enrollwyo.org/contact.

The Internal Revenue Service has started accepting 2022 tax year returns, and scammers are impersonating IRS agents in an attempt to get people to turn over money and personal details.

Be cautious of phone calls, texts, or email correspondence of those who claim to be from the IRS. The IRS warns it will never call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes.

The IRS said it will never threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.

The IRS will never demand that taxes be paid without giving taxpayers the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.

It will also not call unexpectedly about a tax refund.

Taxpayers who receive inquiries like these are advised to:

-- Record the number and then hang up the phone immediately.

-- Report the scammer by calling 800-366-4484.

-- Report the number by emailing phishing@irs.gov and including "IRS Phone Scam" in the subject line.

Go here for more IRS tax scams and consumer alerts.

While the public health declaration is coming to an end, people are still able to request free at-home COVID tests.

Go to www.covid.gov/tests or call 1-800-232-0233 or 1-888-720-7489.

A post-open enrollment debrief brought stakeholders together to celebrate what we've accomplished and learn more about what is coming in the still new year.

Members of the Wyoming Primary Care Association and Enroll Wyoming gave presentations on Medicaid unwinding, special enrollment periods, and the family glitch fix/family coverage option. Small group discussions gave participants a chance to ask questions and share personal experiences.

It's OK if you weren't able to make the event as you can find presentation slides and related resources here.

Enroll Wyoming's team members are spaced throughout the Equality State. It is exciting when we get a chance to team up. We get even more excited when we all can come together.

The C'Mon Inn in Casper was home base as we shared ideas, food, and good company. It was great to share what we have learned and how we can work together so more people get the health coverage they need.

We are thankful for the hospitality and information offered by partners and hosts including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Liz Batton, McGinley Orthopedics, and Kalen Marketing Solutions.

It looks like our next staff retreat will be in Thermopolis in May, and we welcome suggestions on what to do while we are in the area.

-- There will be a Medicaid unwinding coordination meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17. The Zoom link is https://zoom.us/j/98160340210?from=addon. There is a Google document with shared resources here.

-- Navigator Erik Saulness will host office hours at the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce on 55 North Main Street in Buffalo every Friday in November and December between the hours of 9-11 a.m. on Feb. 17 and 24 and March 10.

-- There will be an Enroll Wyoming presentation at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Red Feathered Eagle Vocational, 28 Black Coal Drive in Fort Washakie.

-- Enroll Wyoming will make a presentation at the Wind River Job Corps at 4200 Airport Road in Riverton at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28.

-- The Building a Better World for Women and Children Women's Fair will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 1, in the Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Library.

-- Enroll Wyoming will have a table at the Wind River Farmers Winter Market from 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1.

-- The Castle Rock Medical Center will host its annual Health Fair from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 4. Enroll Wyoming will have an informational table.

-- Enroll Wyoming will make a presentation starting at 10 a.m. Monday, March 13, at Johnson County Public Health.

As a statewide nonprofit, Enroll Wyoming works with many partners in dozens of communities around the Equality State.

Click here or the graphic below to see flyers for upcoming events, details about important campaigns, and ways to make our communities better and brighter.