Q: How long will it take for the Office of Public Assistance (OPA) to process my application?

A: The OPA has 45 days to process new applications for Medicaid. If you applied for SNAP at the same time, the state has 30 days to process that application.

Q: How will I find out if I am approved for Medicaid or HMK?

A: You will receive a notice in the mail from the Office of Public Assistance, PO Box 202925, Helena, MT 59620. The notice will tell you whether you were approved or denied and if you need to provide more information or documentation to the OPA.

Q: Is there any way to check the status of my Medicaid or HMK application if I haven’t yet received a notice?

A: There are a few ways to check:

You can check the status of an application through your account on the state’s application website: www.apply.mt.gov.

Your healthcare provider or pharmacy may also be able to look you up to see if you are approved for Medicaid. You will likely be able to see whether you qualify for Medicaid, in either of those systems, before you receive a mailed notice from the Office of Public Assistance.

You can call the Montana Public Assistance Help Line or visit a local Office of Public Assistance, but we recommend trying the other options first as they may be faster.

Q: What if it has been more than 45 days and there is still no word?

A: If you applied for Medicaid more than 45 days ago and have not received a determination, you can reach out to your regional OPA directly or request an administrative review of your case. You have a right to request a review or fair hearing if the OPA has not made a timely determination of your eligibility for requested benefits.

Q: If I am approved, when will my coverage start?

A: If you are approved, your Medicaid coverage goes back to the first day of the month you applied. For example, if you apply on July 20th and are approved, your Medicaid coverage goes back to July 1st. For most Medicaid programs, you can also request up to three months of retroactive coverage if benefits are approved. In the above example, that would mean that coverage could begin April 1^st rather than July 1^st.

Q: DPHHS determined that my income was above eligibility for Medicaid when I completed my renewal, but I think I may be eligible again now. What should I do?

A: You can reapply for Medicaid coverage at any time that you believe you might be eligible. If you have a change in your income or household that you think may make you eligible again, you can always re-apply, even if you were found to be ineligible previously.

Q: DPHHS reviewed my Medicaid eligibility and I believe I turned in the information they asked for, but my coverage still ended. What can I do?

A: If you believe DPHHS made the incorrect decision regarding your benefits or did not process your application correctly, you can request an administrative review of your case. More information about that process can be found here.

Q: My household’s Medicaid case was closed when I didn’t turn in the renewal packet and I don’t believe I will qualify for coverage anymore, but I think my children might. Can I apply for just my kids?

A: Yes. Medicaid applications will include information about all people in the tax household, whether they are applying, but they will consider each person’s eligibility individually. Income limits for children to be covered by Medicaid are higher than for adults, so if you think they may qualify you should reapply.

Q: I lost Medicaid coverage when DPHHS processed my renewal but have had a change in pregnancy status since then. I got something in the mail that said I might qualify for Medicaid again, what should I do?

A: If you have had a change in pregnancy since July 1^st, 2023, you may qualify for one year of extended coverage. If you are still covered by Medicaid, you should report that change to the OPA directly or via the state’s online portal. If your Medicaid benefits were closed but you think you might qualify for the extended coverage, you can request an administrative review of your case.