About 35,000 Marylanders lost their Medicaid coverage last month due to reinstated requirements by the federal government to renew basic information of participants each year.

The government was automatically renewing people’s Medicaid plans during the COVID national emergency. However, when the emergency ended last month, it continued its requirement that people renew their information each year.

In May, about 120,000 Marylanders were up for renewal, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

About 76,000 sent in their information and continued their plan. About 10,000 were not eligible for Medicaid based on the information they provided and about 25,000 did not submit their information.

“We want to make sure that every Marylander who is eligible for Medicaid stays on Medicaid,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera Scott. “If you are on Medicaid, please be sure to ‘check in’ and make sure your information is up to date. If you have a friend or family member on Medicaid, please reach out to make sure they have ‘checked in.’”

Medicaid participants who missed their renewal date will have four months to submit the information for reconsideration.

The Maryland state government ran a long and extensive ad campaign to remind people that the renewal requirements were starting again in May.

The Maryland Department of Health launched its Medicaid Check-in Campaign to encourage enrollment.

About 1.8 million people in Maryland are on Medicaid and will need to renew their information this year.

The check-ins require information like tax returns for eligibility, social security numbers, birthdates and citizenship or immigration status.

For more information about Medicaid Check-In, visit marylandhealthconnection.gov/checkin or health.maryland.gov/mmcp.