The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) reports a decline in Medicaid applications from mid-March until early April, which occurred due to a significant decrease in paper applications. Online applications through COMPASS did increase, but not enough to compensate for the decline in paper applications. The number of paper applications is now beginning to increase to almost the same number of applications submitted prior to the County Assistance Office (CAO) closures to the public. It is important to be aware that:
- CAOs continue to accept and process Medical Assistance applications.
- Consumers are permitted to self-attest to application questions which previously required documented proof.
Those enrolling should always use the notes box on the application to highlight any important information which can assist with processing, such as “I am applying for Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities” or “I have a health emergency” and provide specific information.