How to renew your New York Medicaid coverage

Last verified: June 2026

How New York Medicaid renewal works

New York Medicaid provides 12-month continuous coverage. Your eligibility is reviewed once a year at renewal time, not when your income or circumstances change mid-year. You will receive a renewal notice from NY State of Health or your local Department of Social Services (DSS) approximately 60–90 days before your coverage end date.

Most New Yorkers renew through NY State of Health online or by calling 1-855-355-5777. New York City enrollees whose coverage was processed through HRA may receive a renewal notice from HRA specifically; in that case, HRA's process governs.

Do not ignore renewal notices. Coverage ends if you miss the deadline and do not respond. Reinstating coverage after a lapse requires a new application and processing time.

Ex parte renewal: when the state renews your coverage automatically

New York uses ex parte renewal — a process where the state checks available data sources (tax records, Social Security data, wage files) to verify your income without requiring you to resubmit documents. If the state can confirm you still qualify, your coverage renews automatically. You receive a notice saying your renewal is complete.

If the state cannot confirm eligibility through data matching, you will receive a form asking you to update your information. This is called a "renewal packet" or "renewal form." Return it promptly — the state gives you a set deadline, and failing to respond means termination.

Per CMS guidance, states must attempt ex parte renewal for all enrollees before sending paper forms. New York follows this requirement. In practice, many low-income adults with stable incomes are renewed without any action on their part.

NYC HRA renewal vs. upstate DSS renewal: what's different

The renewal process differs slightly depending on where your coverage is administered:

Do you need to report income changes during the year?

For MAGI-based Medicaid (the main adult and child coverage), New York follows 12-month continuous eligibility — income changes during the year do not require you to report or trigger a mid-year review. Your coverage continues through the end of your benefit year.

There are exceptions. Certain changes — moving out of state, losing New York residency, gaining employer-sponsored health coverage, or losing citizenship/immigration status — must be reported. Report these to NY State of Health at 1-855-355-5777.

For long-term care Medicaid (nursing home or MLTC), income and resource changes must be reported promptly. The 12-month rule applies to MAGI programs; non-MAGI programs have different rules.

Post-pandemic unwinding: what happened in New York

From April 2023 through December 2024, New York — like all states — processed Medicaid renewals that had been paused during the COVID-19 public health emergency. This "unwinding" period resulted in many enrollees receiving renewal notices simultaneously. NY DOH launched a sustained outreach campaign and worked with managed care plans and community partners to reach enrollees who might have been disenrolled incorrectly.

If you lost New York Medicaid coverage during 2023 or 2024 and believe your disenrollment was in error, you may still be able to request a fair hearing or reinstatement through your local DSS or HRA. Call NY State of Health at 1-855-355-5777 to start that process.

Step-by-step: completing your New York Medicaid renewal

1. 1

   Watch for your renewal notice

   NY State of Health or your county DSS (or HRA if NYC) sends a renewal notice 60–90 days before your coverage end date. Check your mail and your NY State of Health online account.

2. 2

   Check if ex parte renewal completed automatically

   If your income and eligibility could be confirmed through electronic data matching, you may receive a notice that your renewal is complete — no action needed. If you do not receive such a notice, a renewal form was sent.

3. 3

   Complete the renewal form if one was sent

   Submit online at nystateofhealth.ny.gov (or ACCESS HRA for NYC), by phone at 1-855-355-5777, by mail, or in person. Respond before the deadline shown on your form.

4. 4

   Confirm your coverage continued

   After submitting, verify your coverage renewed in your NY State of Health account or by calling 1-855-355-5777. If you don't receive a confirmation, contact NY State of Health to check your status.

What to have ready for renewal

• Current mailing address confirmed in your NY State of Health account or with your county DSS
• Updated phone number and email address so NY State of Health can contact you
• Recent income documentation if your income changed since last renewal (pay stubs, award letters)
• Information about any new health insurance coverage through an employer
• Household composition updates — anyone moved in or out, a new baby, or someone died
• If above 138% FPL: ask about the Essential Plan — you may still qualify for near-free coverage

If your renewal is denied

A denial notice must state the reason and explain your right to a fair hearing. In New York, you have 60 days from the date of the notice to request a fair hearing — shorter than the 90-day window in many states. Filing within 10 days preserves your current benefits during the hearing, per New York Social Services Law.

Request a fair hearing by calling the OTDA hearing line at 1-800-342-3334, writing to your local DSS, or submitting online. Free legal assistance is available through New York Legal Aid and other nonprofit legal services organizations.