The Wyoming Department of Health recently announced that some Medicaid clients on the receiving end of a text message scam.

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That's according to a release from the WDH, which stated that Wyoming Medicaid wants to alert residents about a Medicaid renewal scam.

“Some of our clients are receiving text messages claiming their Medicaid coverage was at risk for cancellation or they have actually already lost benefits," said Lee Grossman, state Medicaid agent and Division of Healthcare Financing senior administrator with WDH. When clients call the listed number, they are threatened and asked for $500 to continue their benefits."

The release noted that Wyoming Medicaid, nor the related Kid Care CHIP program, will never charge or ask money from individuals to enroll or re-enroll.

"No one should share banking or credit card information with anyone that calls claiming to be from Wyoming Medicaid or the Wyoming Department of Health," the release stated.

The Wyoming Department of Health does send out legitimate text messages to clients with important information regarding contact information, completing renewals, or completing surveys, these messages never discuss a specific individual's potential loss of coverage and they never ask for money.

“If someone pushes for money so you can continue to be covered by Wyoming Medicaid, they are not a real representative of our program,” Grossman said. “Rather, they are likely to be a criminal.”

During the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government stopped states, including Wyoming, from reviewing Medicaid eligibility of enrolled clients in exchange for temporarily increased federal funding. Federal law has now changed again, allowing states to return to their normal renewal plans.

“We have started sending renewal notices to clients in the same manner as we did before the pandemic,” Grossman said. “One way to help avoid scam attempts is to make sure we have your current contact information so you do not miss the real and official renewal notice” Grossman said.

The release also noted that a certain percentage of renewal notices are being sent to current enrollees each month throughout the next year. It stated that not all clients will receive their renewal notice at the same time.

“We’ll be renewing people who are still eligible for Wyoming Medicaid services while we also end coverage for those who are no longer eligible,” Grossman said.

According to the release, common reasons that clients lose their Medicaid coverage includes reaching adulthood meaning they are no longer eligible for coverage as children, an increase in personal and family income, a health status change, or moving to another state.

"Medicaid is a joint federal-state insurance program that pays for the medical and long-term care of low-income and medically needy individuals and families," the release stated.

Wyoming Medicaid enrollees can update their contact information at this website, or by calling 1-855-295-2127.

More information about Wyoming Medicaid can be found here. 

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