Announcing Early 2026 SignUpNow Workshops!


VHCF's SignUpNow training workshops cover the ins and outs of the Medicaid and FAMIS programs, with a focus on eligibility and enrollment processes. We are regularly updating these workshops to reflect upcoming federal changes. Register for a live, virtual workshop and/or access on-demand training content here.

• SignUpNow – Medicaid/FAMIS workshops cover the eligibility requirements, application procedures, and post-enrollment information for Virginia’s Medicaid/FAMIS programs for adults, children, and pregnant women (Medicaid, Medicaid Expansion, and the FAMIS programs). We also provide a high-level overview of Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace. 
• SignUpNow – Aged Blind Disabled (ABD) workshops cover information for Virginia’s Medicaid programs for people who are 65 years or older, or who are disabled or blind, including ABD Medicaid; programs for Virginians who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), an Auxiliary Grant, or Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS); and the Medicare Savings Programs. 

Winter 2026 Updates

Marketplace Open Enrollment Continues into 2026


Open Enrollment for Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace will continue through January 30, 2026. Some recent federal changes will impact eligibility for financial help and costs of coverage on the Marketplace for certain individuals and families. To ensure the best value, individuals and families with Marketplace coverage should be sure to shop during Open Enrollment to review available options for their health needs and budget. 

After January 30, there are lots of life circumstances and events, known as “qualifying life events,” that allow people to enroll in Marketplace coverage outside of Open Enrollment, called “Special Enrollment Periods” (SEPs). These include marriage or divorce, loss of other health coverage (including Medicaid/FAMIS coverage), the birth of a child, a move/change of address, and more. A full list of these “Special Enrollment Periods,” which typically begin 60 days before and last for 60 days after the qualifying life event, can be found here. People losing Medicaid/FAMIS coverage have extra time – up to 90 days after losing coverage to enroll in Marketplace coverage. 


Have questions? Enroll Virginia navigators and assisters are trained and certified to provide free, unbiased assistance with health insurance options available through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace. You can also call the Marketplace Call Center at 888-687-1501.

And don’t forget: Virginians can apply for/enroll in Medicaid/FAMIS 365 days a year! They are not required to enroll within a specific time window.

Resources for Immigrant Communites: Updates


Do you regularly work with immigrant communities? The Virginia Poverty Law Center continues to regularly update its FAQ page about data privacy and public charge topics – we recommend bookmarking this page and visiting frequently for information that you can share with your patients/clients so they can make informed decisions about applying for and keeping Medicaid and SNAP benefits (FAQ available in English and Spanish).

Baby New Year! Reminders on Newborn Enrollment


Reminder that babies born to moms enrolled in Medicaid/FAMIS are “deemed” eligible for coverage!

Babies born to moms enrolled in Medicaid (including Emergency Services Only coverage) or FAMIS MOMS are automatically enrolled in coverage until they turn one year old. Babies born to FAMIS Prenatal moms go through an expedited review and enrollment process to get them into coverage quickly.

However, to make this possible, the state needs to know that baby is here! The most important component of this process is to help moms report the birth of their children. This can be done in several ways:

• Ensure the hospital, provider, or managed care organization electronically reports the birth via the online Medicaid portal (DMAS Form E213), OR
• Call the Cover Virginia Call Center (1-855-242-8282), or mom’s Local DSS, OR
• Update mom’s CommonHelp account.
• If mom hasn’t received a letter within 30 days of the baby’s birth that shows the baby is enrolled (and/or if the newborn is not showing as enrolled on the online Medicaid portal), reach out to Cover Virginia and/or the Local DSS to troubleshoot. 

Cardinal Care Updates

New DMAS Dashboard Goes Live! 

DMAS has added a new “disenrollment and churn” dashboard. This dashboard allows users to:


• Get a snapshot of how many Medicaid/FAMIS members were disenrolled at their annual renewal in a given month, and, of those, how many had their coverage closed for procedural reasons (i.e., not returning required paperwork) or for being no longer eligible (e.g., being over income, moving out of state)
• See a breakdown of top reasons coverage ended 
• Get information on “churn,” a process where Medicaid/FAMIS members lose coverage and then regain it within the next six months, along with how many members were reinstated within 1 month, 2-3 months, and 4-6 months
• Analyze information by demographics, locality, and other data
  

Reminder that DMAS also has an existing enrollment dashboard where you can see the latest enrollment numbers broken down by eligibility category, demographics, locality, and other data. 

Make 2026 the Year of Good Oral Health

Brought to you by Cardinal Care Smiles 


Oral health is key to overall good health. Here are 6 Oral Health Resolutions for 2026, for you and your clients/patients:

1. Brush and Use the Right Tools. Brush your teeth two times every day for two minutes each time. Use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride. Change your toothbrush every 3–4 months. You can also use an electric toothbrush and a tongue scraper to help keep your mouth clean.
2. Floss Every Day. Floss between your teeth to clean where your brush can’t reach.
3. Go to the Dentist Two Times a Year. The dentist helps keep your teeth healthy and checks for problems early.
4. Eat Less Sugar. Candy and soda can hurt your teeth. Try fruits, veggies, and water instead.
5. Drink Lots of Water. Water washes away food and helps keep your mouth clean.
6. See Something, Do Something. Go to the dentist before your teeth start to hurt. If you see something new or different, like a spot or a cavity, get help right away. Waiting until it hurts usually means the dentist will need to do more work to fix it. 
   

Medicaid/FAMIS members who need help finding a dentist can call the Cardinal Care Smiles member services line at 1-888-912-3456, use the DentaQuest website, and/or download the DentaQuest app.


Virginians who do not have dental insurance can visit the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics or the Virginia Community Healthcare Association websites to see clinics offering various health and dental services.

Virginia Health Care Foundation Resources

The 2026 General Assembly Session Starts Tomorrow!


The 2026 Session starts January 14^th and with so much going on, you’ll want to stay in the loop! VHCF is tracking items that would impact Virginians who are uninsured, Medicaid eligible/enrolled, or underserved. 


Here are some of our favorite Session tools to help you follow along. We’ve compiled a list of useful links and resources to help you identify and track the legislation in which you are interested. Some also include specifics to help you advocate for key issues, your organization, and communities.


• Use the Legislative Information System (LIS) to search for bills and resolutions here and the state budget here. Visit the LIS Learning Center to get acquainted with the system if you haven’t used it before. 
• If you want to track a specific bill as it goes through the GA process and receive emails at key milestones, consider signing up for the Lobbyist-in-a-Box, which will let you track up to five bills with automated email notifications for free.
• Curious about the state budget process? The Commonwealth Institute has put together a helpful summary and graphic. This slide deck from the Senate Finance Committee provides more details.
• Headed to Richmond to advocate? Download Virginia Public Access Project’s (VPAP) app to your phone (via the App Store or Google Play) to find legislators’ offices in the GA building with ease and more. Scroll the bottom of that page for additional VPAP GA resources.

Project Connect Outreach Workers Are Here to Help


VHCF’s Project Connect outreach workers help individuals and families apply for, enroll in, and renew eligibility for Virginia’s Medicaid/FAMIS programs. Project Connect outreach workers can help with completing Medicaid/FAMIS applications and renewals, navigating eligibility and enrollment processes, troubleshooting issues, and answering questions about Medicaid and FAMIS. A full list of Project Connect outreach workers, their contact information, and the areas they serve is available here. 

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