How to renew your Maine Medicaid coverage

Last verified: June 2026

Renewal notices come from MaineCare (Maine Medicaid)

Always respond to official renewal notices from MaineCare (Maine Medicaid). Missing a renewal deadline is the most common reason people lose Medicaid coverage — even when they're still eligible.

Keep your MyMaineConnection account and contact information current

MaineCare renewal notices are sent through mymaineconnection.gov and by mail. Members with outdated addresses or inactive accounts miss these notices and lose coverage. Log in to update your email, mailing address, and household information before your renewal date.

How MaineCare renews your coverage

Maine renews MaineCare eligibility annually. OFI first tries an ex parte review — using electronic data from the Social Security Administration, state wage records, and other sources to confirm eligibility without requiring member action. When ex parte verification is successful, coverage renews automatically and OFI sends a notice.

If electronic data is insufficient or shows a change in circumstances, OFI sends a renewal packet to the address on file and to your MyMaineConnection account. You must respond by the deadline on the notice — typically 30 days. Missing the deadline causes coverage to end, though you can reapply at any time.

How to complete your MaineCare renewal

1

Log in to MyMaineConnection

Go to mymaineconnection.gov and check for renewal action items. Renewal notices arrive by email (if you opted in), by mail, and in your account inbox. Enable email notifications in your account settings so you don't miss them.
2

Review and update your information

Confirm that income, household members, address, and citizenship/immigration status are still accurate. Report any changes — a new job, a move, a household member who left or joined.
3

Provide documentation if OFI requests it

If income or other information cannot be confirmed electronically, OFI will ask for pay stubs, Social Security letters, proof of residency, or immigration documents. Upload directly in MyMaineConnection or bring to an OFI office.
4

Submit by the deadline

Complete renewal online, by calling 1-855-797-4357, or in person at an OFI office. Online submission is fastest. If you cannot make the deadline, call OFI — extensions are sometimes granted for good cause.
5

Confirm your coverage is active

After OFI processes your renewal, log in to MyMaineConnection to confirm that coverage is active and that your plan and providers haven't changed.

Documents that may be needed at renewal

Recent pay stubs (one to two months)
Self-employment income documentation or most recent tax return
Social Security or SSI award letter if receiving benefits
Proof of Maine residency (utility bill, lease, bank statement)
Immigration documents if your status has changed
Documentation of any household changes (new household member, someone who left)

Maine's performance during the Medicaid unwinding

When the federal continuous enrollment requirement ended in 2023, states began disenrolling members who no longer qualified or who couldn't be reached for renewal. Maine had lower-than-average disenrollment rates during the unwinding period — in part because of the state's investment in ex parte review infrastructure and outreach to members whose coverage was at risk.

Per KFF tracking of the unwinding period, Maine was among the states with fewer procedural disenrollments (cases where members lost coverage for paperwork reasons rather than income reasons). This suggests Maine's renewal systems work reasonably well at retaining eligible members.

Report changes during the year — don't wait for renewal

Maine requires members to report significant income or household changes within 10 days. Reporting changes through MyMaineConnection mid-year prevents larger problems at annual renewal. Unreported income increases can trigger retroactive overpayments at renewal.

Post-pandemic coverage losses: the 2023–2024 unwinding

During the COVID-19 public health emergency (March 2020 through March 2023), federal law prohibited states from removing people from Medicaid. When that protection ended, states conducted a mass redetermination of all enrolled members — known as the "unwinding." Millions of people lost coverage nationally between April 2023 and late 2024, many due to administrative reasons like outdated addresses rather than actual ineligibility. If you lost Maine Medicaid during that period without receiving a renewal notice, you may still be eligible. Contact MaineCare (Maine Medicaid) to reapply.

How to complete your renewal

When MaineCare (Maine Medicaid) sends a renewal notice, here's what to do:

1

Read the notice carefully

Identify exactly what the agency is asking for and the deadline to respond. Renewal packets may ask you to confirm your current income, household size, or address.
2

Update your information

If anything has changed — income, address, phone number, household members — report it now. Outdated contact information is the leading cause of missed renewal notices.
3

Submit the renewal online, by phone, or by mail

MaineCare (Maine Medicaid)'s online portal is typically the fastest way to complete a renewal. You may also call the enrollment line or mail in your completed packet.
4

Confirm your coverage continued

After submitting, confirm you receive a notice that coverage was renewed. If you don't hear back within a few weeks, call MaineCare (Maine Medicaid) to verify your status.

If your renewal is denied

A denial must state the reason in writing and explain your right to appeal. You have 90 days from the date of the notice to request a fair hearing. File the appeal quickly — if you appeal before your coverage ends, you may be able to continue coverage during the appeal period, though this depends on timing and the reason for denial.

Common renewal denials include: income that increased above the threshold, failure to respond to the renewal packet, a change in household size that affects eligibility, or immigration status questions. Some of these can be addressed by reapplying with updated information rather than appealing.

Contact MaineCare (Maine Medicaid) within the 90-day window. A reconsideration or new application filed promptly can often restore coverage retroactively to the date it was lost.

Keeping your account information up to date

The most effective way to avoid renewal problems is to report changes promptly. Federal rules require Medicaid enrollees to report changes that may affect eligibility within a specified period — typically 10 to 30 days depending on the state.

Changes to report: new job or income change, move to a new address, change in household size (new baby, someone moves in or out), gaining or losing other health coverage. Contact MaineCare (Maine Medicaid) or update your information through the online portal at https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oms.