What Indiana Medicaid Recipients Need to Do Before Their Renewal Deadline and Where to Get Help in Indianapolis
FSSA is processing renewals on a rolling basis. Missing a notice means immediate loss of coverage. Many Indianapolis residents don't know they were ever in the queue until it's too late.
FSSA is processing renewals on a rolling basis. Missing a notice means immediate loss of coverage. Many Indianapolis residents don’t know they were ever in the queue until it’s too late.
If you searched “Indiana Medicaid renewal 2026” and landed on articles about pandemic-era “unwinding” and mass redeterminations, stop. That coverage is three years old. It describes a policy event that ended. What’s happening right now is the ordinary annual redetermination process that existed before the pandemic and continues today — and if your renewal came up in October, your deadline may be days away or already past.
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration reviews each enrollee’s eligibility once a year, sends a renewal notice in advance, and processes the results on a rolling basis. October renewals go to one cohort, November to another. Whether you received your notice is a completely separate question.
For Marion County residents, October matters for a second reason. The ACA marketplace opens for open enrollment on or around November 1. Anyone who loses Medicaid right now has a narrow window to transition to subsidized marketplace coverage before that period opens. If you act this week, you have options that will disappear. That window is more finite than most people realize.
This guide covers everything in sequence: how to confirm your renewal is actually due, what documents to gather, how to submit, where to get in-person help in Indianapolis, and what to do if you’ve already missed the deadline.
Why the 2023 Coverage You’re Reading Won’t Help You
Wave after wave of articles and social media posts covered “Medicaid unwinding” — the end of pandemic-era continuous enrollment protections that kept millions of Americans enrolled regardless of eligibility changes. The unwinding period ran through 2023 and into 2024. It’s done.
This distinction matters practically. Guidance written for the unwinding included policy-specific flexibilities, extended timelines, and automatic renewal rules that no longer apply. Follow that old guidance now and you could waste weeks waiting for accommodations that expired a year ago. If anything you’ve read sounds unusually forgiving about deadlines, it was probably written for 2023.
Step One: Check Whether Your Renewal Is Actually Due Right Now
Online: Go to benefits.in.gov and log in with your Indiana Benefits Portal credentials. Under your case summary, you should see a renewal due date. If you’ve never created a portal account, you can register with your case number and date of birth. It’s worth doing regardless — it shows your case status, uploaded documents, and past notices.
By mail: FSSA’s primary method of contacting you is a paper notice sent to your mailing address on file. Haven’t received anything? One of three things is true: your renewal isn’t due yet, FSSA processed it automatically and your coverage continued, or the notice went to an address you no longer live at.
That last scenario is more common than FSSA probably wants to admit. Marion County has a large renter population, and people move. If you’ve relocated and haven’t updated your address with FSSA, your notice may be sitting at a former address right now. Update it immediately — through the benefits portal under account settings, or by calling 1-800-403-0864. Here’s the hard part: FSSA is legally required to send the notice to the address on file. If it went to the wrong place, the clock is still running. Not receiving it doesn’t stop a termination.
Step Two: Gather Your Documents Before You Open the Form
Document requirements differ significantly between the two main Indiana Medicaid programs. It’s genuinely confusing, and the confusion is understandable — the programs cover different populations with different income rules, and FSSA doesn’t make the distinction obvious.
For HIP 2.0 (Adults Ages 19–64)
HIP 2.0, the Healthy Indiana Plan, covers adults who aren’t eligible for traditional Medicaid based on age or disability. For renewal, FSSA typically requests proof of identity (a state-issued ID, driver’s license, or passport), Social Security numbers for all adults in the household applying for coverage, and proof of Indiana residency. A utility bill, lease, or similar document showing your current Marion County address works for residency — but it should match your case address. If it doesn’t, update your address first.
Income documentation is also required: recent pay stubs, typically the last 30 days. For self-employed residents, bring a statement of income and expenses. If you’ve had a job change or a gap in employment, document both periods.
HIP 2.0 enrollees have a POWER account with a monthly contribution component. Consistent contributors are generally enrolled in HIP Plus, the higher-benefit tier that includes dental and vision. Those without consistent contributions land in HIP Basic, which has neither. If you want to preserve your tier, don’t let your renewal lapse. If you’re missing a document, navigators at Covering Kids and Families Indiana and Eskenazi Health can help you find alternatives. Submit what you have and explain what’s missing. That’s better than not submitting at all.
For Hoosier Healthwise (Children Under 19 and Pregnant Women)
Hoosier Healthwise has higher income thresholds than HIP 2.0 and a lighter documentation burden at renewal. Many renewals are processed through ex parte renewal — FSSA uses data it already has from other state agencies to confirm eligibility without asking you to submit anything.
When a renewal form is required, the typical documents are proof of the child’s age, Social Security numbers, and household income documentation. The income threshold for children is higher than for HIP 2.0. Families who fall off HIP 2.0 eligibility often still qualify for Hoosier Healthwise for their children. If you’re facing a potential loss of your own coverage, check your children’s eligibility separately. They may remain covered even if you don’t.
Step Three: Complete the Renewal Online, by Mail, or by Phone
Online at benefits.in.gov lets you complete the renewal form, upload documents, and track submission status. It’s the fastest path if you have reliable internet access and basic comfort with online forms. Log in, go to your case, and look for a prompt about your renewal.
By mail is a fully valid option — and for some situations, the more reliable one. If you received a paper renewal notice with a form enclosed, fill it out and mail it back using the envelope provided. If you didn’t receive the form or lost it, call 1-800-403-0864 and ask FSSA to send you a paper packet. For residents without reliable internet, or those who’ve had portal issues in the past, a paper renewal often gives you a better record of what you submitted. Mail it with enough time to arrive before your deadline. Consider delivery confirmation.
By phone: Call 1-800-403-0864 during business hours. A representative can walk you through the process verbally and update your case in real time. Wait times can be significant, especially at the start and end of the month — budget for that. This path works best for straightforward cases with no complicated documentation.
Step Four: Where to Get In-Person Help in Indianapolis
Marion County Division of Family Resources — 2102 N. Meridian St.
This is FSSA’s local office for Marion County. Walk-ins are accepted. Staff can pull up your case, answer questions about your specific notice, and help you submit your renewal in person. Bring your renewal notice if you have it, ID, Social Security cards for all household members, proof of residency, and income documentation. Hours are Monday through Friday — call ahead at 1-800-403-0864 to confirm, since DFR offices have had periodic schedule adjustments. Waits can be long. Plan accordingly.
Eskenazi Health Enrollment Navigators — 720 Eskenazi Ave.
Eskenazi employs certified enrollment counselors embedded within the health system. At the main campus on Eskenazi Avenue, navigators help patients and community members enroll in or renew HIP 2.0, Hoosier Healthwise, and traditional Medicaid.
Eskenazi also has federally qualified health center sites across Marion County — in Fountain Square, Haughville, and on the east side. If you live in those neighborhoods, check with the closest FQHC location before making a trip to the main campus. Walk-in availability varies by site, so call first.
Covering Kids and Families Indiana
CKF Indiana is a statewide nonprofit providing free help with Medicaid, Hoosier Healthwise, and ACA marketplace enrollment. They’re certified navigators under the ACA, which means they can assist with both Medicaid renewals and marketplace plan selection — a combination that’s genuinely useful for anyone who loses Medicaid and needs to transition to marketplace coverage fast. Contact them at coveringkidsandfamilies.org to confirm current Indianapolis office hours and walk-in availability.
HealthLINC Navigator Program
HealthLINC is a health information network that has connected community health workers with residents needing enrollment assistance in central Indiana. Contact them directly to verify their current navigator program status and intake process for 2026. Navigator funding changes — confirming before you show up saves a wasted trip.
Additional Options
Localhelp.healthcare.gov lets you search for certified application counselors and navigators in Marion County by zip code. Most results include contact information and walk-in availability. Use it if the locations above aren’t convenient to where you live.
IU Health’s financial counseling staff can help identify Medicaid eligibility and initiate an application, primarily for existing patients facing a coverage gap.
Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic provides free legal help to income-qualifying Indianapolis residents if you believe your Medicaid was wrongly terminated — for example, if FSSA sent a notice to an address you’d already updated, or if your income documentation was misread. They handle appeals and disputed terminations. Call ahead for an appointment.
Step Five: If You’ve Already Missed the Deadline
Missing a renewal deadline doesn’t automatically mean you have to start over. This is what most search results consistently fail to explain.
Indiana, following federal Medicaid rules, allows a reinstatement process for procedural terminations — cases where coverage ended because paperwork wasn’t submitted or received, not because the enrollee actually became ineligible. A reinstatement is faster than a new application. It may restore coverage retroactively to the date of termination.
Federal rules allow states to permit reinstatement for up to 90 days after a procedural termination. Indiana’s specific current window requires verification directly with FSSA — don’t rely on any timeframe you’ve read elsewhere. Call 1-800-403-0864 immediately and explain that your coverage was terminated for a procedural reason, not because you became ineligible. Ask specifically about reinstatement rather than reapplication. Those are different words that lead to different processes.
If your case is complicated, go to the DFR office at 2102 N. Meridian St. in person. Bring every document on your checklist plus your termination notice. Navigators at CKF Indiana and Eskenazi Health can also intervene in disputed terminations — if you’ve been told your case is closed and you disagree with why, a navigator can help you assess whether it can be challenged.
Don’t wait. The reinstatement window is finite, and every day you don’t contact FSSA is a day off that clock. Any medical care you receive during the gap may not be covered retroactively if reinstatement doesn’t go through.
Step Six: If You No Longer Qualify
If you’ve been told you no longer qualify — your income increased above the HIP 2.0 threshold, your household composition changed — you have a federally guaranteed pathway. Most people don’t know about it in time to use it.
A Medicaid termination triggers a Special Enrollment Period on the federal ACA marketplace. The SEP lasts 60 days, starting from your termination date — not the date you found out, not the date you received the notice. The date coverage actually ended. If your coverage terminated October 1 and you’re reading this October 20, you have roughly 40 days. Not much runway.
Indiana doesn’t have a state exchange. You enroll at healthcare.gov. Go there, create or log in to your account, and report the loss of Medicaid coverage as a life event — that unlocks the SEP. Coverage typically takes effect on the first of the month following your enrollment.
For most Marion County residents, premium tax credits will substantially reduce the cost of marketplace plans. Tax credits are available for households with income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. Verify current 2026 subsidy levels at healthcare.gov or with a CKF navigator before assuming a specific premium — subsidy levels have been subject to congressional action, and figures from a year ago may be wrong.
One scenario worth knowing: if your income is below 100% of the federal poverty level, the marketplace can’t offer you subsidized coverage. Indiana is a Medicaid expansion state via HIP 2.0, so most adults with very low income should qualify. But if HIP 2.0 has been terminated and you also fall below the marketplace income floor, you’re in genuine coverage gap territory. It’s not common, but it happens — and it’s exactly when a navigator earns their keep. CKF Indiana can assess your situation and find any available pathway.
The October timing matters. Anyone who loses Medicaid this month has a 60-day SEP that overlaps with the opening of ACA open enrollment. Enroll through your SEP now rather than waiting. The plans are the same either way. CKF Indiana can complete the enrollment process with you at no charge.
Your Situation, Your Next Step
Renewal coming up and you haven’t done anything yet. Log in to benefits.in.gov to confirm your due date. Gather your documents. Complete the renewal online, by mail, or by phone. If you need help, go to 2102 N. Meridian St. or contact Eskenazi Health, CKF Indiana, or HealthLINC.
Need in-person help. Marion County DFR at 2102 N. Meridian St. accepts walk-ins — bring your documents and expect a wait. Eskenazi Health has navigator availability at community sites across the county; call first to find the closest one. CKF Indiana also provides in-person help; confirm hours at coveringkidsandfamilies.org.
Missed your deadline and coverage has already lapsed. Call 1-800-403-0864 today and ask specifically about reinstatement — not reapplication. Go to the DFR office in person if your case is complicated. Contact CKF Indiana or Eskenazi navigators for help with a disputed termination.
Told you no longer qualify. Go to healthcare.gov immediately and report your Medicaid loss as a life event. Your 60-day SEP clock is already running from your termination date. Contact CKF Indiana for free help with plan selection and enrollment.
Almost every resource in this guide is free. You don’t need to show up with everything figured out — navigators at Eskenazi’s community health centers and CKF Indiana are trained to work through complicated situations and missing documents. What you need is to act before your window closes.
CityDesk Indianapolis will update this guide if FSSA announces changes to the October cohort process or reinstatement window. Residents with specific case questions should contact FSSA at 1-800-403-0864 or visit a navigator at one of the locations above.
