The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will begin verifying the citizenship and identity of people applying for or receiving Medicaid to comply with a new federal law that takes effect July 1.
The federal Deficit Reduction Act, passed earlier this year, does not change who is eligible to receive services. But the new law does require states to verify the citizenship or immigration status of all Medicaid clients.
HHSC Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins said Texas already has the required proof for many Medicaid clients or will be able to access the information directly. For example, children need only a birth certificate to comply. For children born in Texas, HHSC may be able to get the birth certificate electronically, and the parents will not need to provide it.
For those applying for Medicaid for their children, the state needs proof of citizenship only for the child – not for the parents. And Medicaid clients who also receive Medicare or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will not need to provide additional documents because their citizenship was verified as part of the enrollment process for those programs.
Legal immigrants who may be eligible for Medicaid will continue to provide proof of legal status and identity as they have in the past.
Current Medicaid clients will be asked to comply with the new requirement the next time they renew their benefits. HHSC sent a letter to clients in June explaining the requirement and will send additional reminders in client renewal packets.
More information about the new law, including a list of documents that can be used to prove citizenship and identity, is available at www.hhs.state.tx.us.
