Benefits and costs
Medicaid renewal: do not lose your pregnancy or postpartum coverage
June 26, 2026 · 8 min read
During the pandemic, states were not allowed to end most people's Medicaid, so coverage stayed on automatically for years. That period, the continuous-coverage requirement, has ended, and states have returned to checking eligibility every year. This process is called renewal or redetermination, and the nationwide return to it is often called the unwinding (CMS and Medicaid.gov). The hard part is that many people lose coverage not because they stopped qualifying, but because of paperwork. This guide explains how renewal works, how to keep your coverage during pregnancy and after birth, and what to do if you are dropped. This is general education, not legal or eligibility advice.
What changed after the pandemic
For most of the COVID-19 emergency, federal rules kept people continuously enrolled in Medicaid, which meant your coverage renewed on its own without you doing anything. That continuous-coverage requirement has ended, and every state has resumed its normal, once-a-year eligibility checks. CMS and Medicaid.gov refer to this nationwide restart as the unwinding. The practical message is simple: Medicaid no longer renews silently in the background. You now have to take action when your state asks you to, or your coverage can stop even if your situation has not changed.
Why people lose coverage even when they still qualify
A large share of people who lose Medicaid during a renewal are still eligible. They lose it for what are called procedural or paperwork reasons: the renewal packet went to an old address, the deadline passed before they saw it, a form was missing a document, or a letter sat unopened. This is sometimes called a procedural disenrollment, and CMS has flagged it as a major reason eligible people fall off coverage. For someone who is pregnant or recently gave birth, that gap can mean a missed prenatal visit, a delayed postpartum checkup, or a surprise bill. The good news is that most of these losses are preventable with a few simple habits described below.
Keep your address and contact information current
The single most important step is making sure your state Medicaid agency can reach you. If you have moved, changed your phone number, or changed your email since you first enrolled, update it now, before renewal season, not after. You can do this through your state agency: AHCCCS in Arizona, Medi-Cal (through your county office) in California, Texas Health and Human Services (Texas HHSC) in Texas, and the Department of Human Services (Pennsylvania DHS) in Pennsylvania. Each runs an online account and a phone line for exactly this. Updating your address is the difference between getting your renewal packet and never seeing it. If you are pregnant and planning to move before or after the birth, make this one of your first calls.
Watch for the renewal packet and respond by the deadline
When it is your turn to renew, your state will send a renewal packet or a request for information, by mail, and sometimes also by email, text, or to your online account. Open it right away and read the deadline. Some people are renewed automatically when the state can confirm eligibility from existing data, but many are asked to return a form or send proof of income, address, or household size. If you get one of these requests, respond by the date listed even if you think there is a mistake. Submitting on time keeps your coverage active while the state reviews it. If you are unsure whether you received your packet, do not wait, log in to your online account or call your state agency and ask where you are in the renewal cycle.
What to do if you are dropped
If your coverage ends, you have options, and acting quickly matters. First, you can reapply right away; many people are found eligible again on a fresh application. Second, ask about retroactive coverage. Medicaid can often cover medical bills from a period before your application date if you were eligible then, which can protect you from charges that piled up during a gap. Third, you have the right to a fair hearing (sometimes called an appeal) if you believe the state ended your coverage in error, and if you act fast enough, your coverage may continue during the appeal. Each state explains these rights in the notice it sends and on its website: AHCCCS, Medi-Cal, Texas HHSC, and Pennsylvania DHS. Do not assume a denial is final; ask about reapplying, retroactive coverage, and a hearing together.
Pregnancy and postpartum have their own protections
Pregnancy and the months after birth carry special protections you should know about. Medicaid covers pregnancy at higher income levels than regular adult Medicaid, so you may qualify during pregnancy even if you would not otherwise. More importantly, federal policy now lets states extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full 12 months after the end of pregnancy, and Arizona, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania have adopted this extended postpartum coverage (Medicaid.gov). That means losing coverage during the year after birth is often avoidable, ask your state agency to confirm your postpartum coverage. A baby born in the United States is a US citizen and can be enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, and many states cover the newborn automatically for a period if the parent had Medicaid at the birth. Keeping continuous coverage through this window protects both the postpartum checkups recommended by ACOG and your baby's well-child visits recommended by the AAP.
Build a simple renewal routine
You do not need to track Medicaid rules to stay covered; you need a routine. Know roughly which month your renewal falls in and watch your mail and online account around then. Keep recent proof of income and address easy to find. Open every envelope and message from your state agency promptly. If anything is unclear, call the number on the notice and ask a person to walk you through it, that is what the line is for. A short phone call before a deadline is far easier than reapplying after a gap. If you work with a clinic, a community health worker, or an enrollment counselor, tell them when your renewal is coming so someone besides you is watching for it.
How Materna fits in
Materna does not run Medicaid, decide your eligibility, or process your renewal; your state agency does all of that. What Materna does is keep your prenatal and postpartum record in one place, in English or Spanish, so that even if your coverage hits a bump, your health history is not lost between offices. The Mommy Passport is free for patients, paid by providers, and Spanish-first, and it can export your record in a standard format so a new provider sees your full history without repeating tests. If a coverage gap ever delays care and you have an urgent symptom, such as heavy bleeding, a severe headache, trouble breathing, or signs of labor, call your provider right away, and in an emergency call 911. If you are struggling emotionally, you can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline any time. Materna serves families in Arizona, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
Frequently asked questions
- Why did my Medicaid stop if my situation has not changed?
- During the pandemic, coverage renewed automatically. That continuous-coverage requirement has ended, and states resumed yearly eligibility checks, a process CMS and Medicaid.gov call the unwinding. Many people lose coverage for procedural or paperwork reasons, such as a renewal packet sent to an old address or a missed deadline, even though they still qualify. Update your address with your state agency and respond to any renewal request by its deadline.
- How do I make sure I receive my Medicaid renewal packet?
- Keep your address, phone number, and email current with your state Medicaid agency: AHCCCS in Arizona, Medi-Cal through your county in California, Texas HHSC in Texas, and Pennsylvania DHS in Pennsylvania. Each has an online account and phone line for updates. If you are not sure where you are in the renewal cycle, log in or call and ask. Updating your address before renewal season is the best way to make sure the packet reaches you.
- What can I do if I was dropped from Medicaid?
- Act quickly and ask about three things together: reapplying right away, which often finds people eligible again; retroactive coverage, which can cover bills from a period before your application date if you were eligible then; and a fair hearing or appeal if you believe the state ended your coverage by mistake. Acting fast enough may keep your coverage going during an appeal. Your state notice and website explain these rights.
- Does pregnancy or postpartum protect my coverage?
- Yes. Medicaid covers pregnancy at higher income levels than regular adult Medicaid, and federal policy lets states extend postpartum Medicaid to a full 12 months after pregnancy. Arizona, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania have adopted this extended postpartum coverage, per Medicaid.gov. Ask your state agency to confirm your postpartum coverage so you keep continuous care through the postpartum checkups ACOG recommends and your baby's well-child visits recommended by the AAP.