All recipients of public assistance programs such as SNAP and Medicaid will have their certification period extended by three months, while those who are newly unemployed and have lost benefits can immediately apply for Medicaid.
Gov. Andy Beshear made the announcements during his Wednesday afternoon press conference in Lexington.
The Department of Community Based Services will extend certification periods for all recipients of all public-assistance programs for three months.
Programs include SNAP, Medicaid, Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program and state supplementation.
“Households whose certification periods end in May will be automatically extended to August, June to September, and so on,” Beshear said. “Those families, those individuals don’t have to come in, don’t have to apply. It’s automatically extended for 3 months.”
Beshear also announced that any of those who are now unemployed and who have lost benefits because of the coronavirus can immediately apply for Medicaid.
For Medicaid eligibility, call the Kentucky Healthcare customer service line at 855-459-6328 or visit healthcarebenefitexchange.ky.gov.
For all public assistance programs, visit Benefind.ky.gov or call the 855-306-8959.
“In this time, when you’re worried about your health, please go and get your health benefits and get signed up for Medicaid,” said Eric Friedlander, Secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. “This is something that we want every Kentuckian who is eligible for these services to get signed up for. This is part of how we get through this.”
Beshear implored anyone who needs to get government assistance to do so, and his administration will do everything they can to help.
“There should never be a stigma for needing government or public assistance,” he said. “We want to be as flexible as the law allows us to help as many people out there as we can get through this.”
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For the latest information and data on COVID-19 in Kentucky visit kycovid19.ky.gov or dial the Kentucky state hotline at 800-722-5725.
For the latest health guidelines and resources from the CDC, visit their website here.
