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13.4 Suspension End Date A member’s suspension is lifted, and full-benefit Medicaid coverage starts on the first of the month in which the member is released, if the member continues to meet the eligibility criteria for Medicaid. A new application is not needed to lift the suspension and start full-benefit Medicaid. The suspension period will have an end date at the end of a month, but the restriction on covered services will end when the person is no longer incarcerated. That means that the restriction on covered services may end on a date after the suspension end date displayed in the system. See SECTION 13.2 COVERED SERVICES. Members can report their expected release date to their IM agency prior to their release. If the expected release date is known, the IM agency will redetermine Medicaid eligibility prior to the release to lift the suspension and start full-benefit Medicaid, if eligible, on the first of the month in which the member is released. Example 1 Dolores is incarcerated and enrolled in suspended Medicaid. On August 25, she reports to her IM agency that her expected release date is September 20. The IM agency redetermines her eligibility. Her suspension will be lifted effective September 1. The restriction on covered services will be lifted on September 20 (the date Dolores is released) The suspension may be lifted effective for the first of the month when the person was released from prison or jail, even if the release was reported untimely. However, this retroactive lifting may only go as far back as the beginning of the current certification period. Example 2 Risha is incarcerated and enrolled in suspended Medicaid. Her current certification period started January 1. She was released on April 3, but she does not inform the IM agency that she has been released. She continues to be enrolled in suspended Medicaid. On July 5, she reports to the IM agency that she was released from jail on April 3. The suspension is lifted effective April 1. The restriction on covered services will be lifted on April 3 (the date Risha was released) The member’s health care certification renewal date will not change. Example 3 Cameron is incarcerated and enrolled in suspended Medicaid. His renewal date is June 30 of the following year. Cameron is released on December 15. The suspension is lifted effective December 1. The restriction on covered services will be lifted on December 15 (the date Cameron is released). His renewal date remains June 30 of the following year. This page last updated in Release Number: 25-03 Release Date: 08/13/2025 Effective Date: 08/13/2025 13.5 Renewals Members in a health care suspension will go through the normal renewal process at the end of their certification period, including administrative renewals when applicable (see CHAPTER 3 RENEWALS). Members must complete the renewal and continue to meet program eligibility criteria in order to maintain their suspension. If the member does not complete the renewal or no longer meets program eligibility criteria, the member’s suspension will end and Medicaid eligibility will be terminated. Note: If a member has appointed the prison or jail or an employee of the prison or jail as their authorized representative, that entity can complete the renewal on the member’s behalf. See SECTION 22.5 REPRESENTATIVES.