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Member Newsletter

New Hampshire Medicaid

Stay on the path to healthy: It may be time to renew your Medicaid benefits

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Medicaid members need to renew their coverage each year to keep their health insurance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services put protections in place that kept coverage from ending. However, these have ended, and DHHS has started the renewal process.

If you’ve received a yellow letter from the state about your Medicaid coverage, please follow the instructions included in the letter and any further instructions sent by the state closely. This is the best way to keep your Medicaid benefits.

If you have questions or need help with reading or understanding your yellow letter, please contact the DHHS Customer Service Center toll-free at 844-ASK-DHHS (844-275-3447) and select option #3 or 603-271-9700, (TDD: 800-735-2964), Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

Get help finding food

If you or your family isn’t getting enough healthy food, you are not alone. According to Feeding America, more than 34 million people in the United States don’t, and more than 53 million used food programs to help them in 2021. If you think you need help with getting more healthy food, the resources below may help.

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Feeding America

Feeding America can walk you through the federal benefits you or other members of your family qualify for and tell you where to find your local food bank. You can reach them at feedingamerica.org or 800-771-2303.

The Summer Food Service Program
The Summer Food Service Program provides free healthy meals and snacks to children and teens during the summer months when school is not in session. Call 603-669-9725, ext. 1150 to find out if your community has an active program.
Granite State Market Match

Granite State Market Match doubles every SNAP/EBT dollar spent on fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets, helping you buy twice as much. Learn more and find participating markets at granitestatemarketmatch.org.

Free cookbook download
“Good and Cheap” is a free-to-download cookbook focused on eating yummy, healthy food on just a few dollars a day.
The BMC Teaching Kitchen
The BMC Teaching Kitchen also offers free, monthly, online cooking classes featuring healthy, easy-to-cook and budget-friendly meals.
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You can call 211 to learn what help is available for food and other needs.

Get even more benefits with a Medicare Advantage plan

We talked a lot about getting the most out of your benefits in this newsletter. WellSense also offers Medicare Advantage plans that provide extra benefits on top of your current Medicaid coverage. Joining a Medicare Advantage plan will not alter the benefits you already receive as a Medicaid member when getting care from a network provider. Most Medicaid members qualify for a $0 premium plan, meaning getting the extra benefits will likely not cost you anything. 

WellSense Health Plan is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in WellSense Medicare Advantage 
HMO plans depends on contract renewal.
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Don't get scammed

Are you being asked to pay for healthcare that is actually covered by your insurance? Has someone called you asking you to pay for services like changing your insurance or updating your address? These may be scams. Call 888-411-4959 to report them, and visit wellsense.org/footer/fraud-waste-and-abuse for more information.

Avoid the wait: Getting care 
faster than at the ER

Injuries and illnesses can happen at any time. While a walk-in visit to the emergency room (ER) may often feel like the easiest solution, ERs often take much longer to treat conditions that could be handled more quickly for you somewhere else.

For most nonemergency conditions, your primary care provider (PCP) should be your first resource. Your PCP is the provider you generally see for your annual wellness visit. They know your health the best and can help you get specialist care quickly if you need it. If your PCP isn’t available, you can also try to see another provider in their office or schedule a telehealth visit, which will often be faster.

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If no one at your PCP’s office is available to see you quickly, an urgent care clinic should be able to make an appointment for you within 24 hours, and walk-in urgent care wait times are usually shorter than at the ER. If your PCP belongs to a larger healthcare system, you may even be able to go to an affiliated urgent care clinic. Urgent cares can handle most nonemergency illnesses and injuries.

If your PCP isn’t available, schedule a telehealth visit. It will often be faster.

When to go to the emergency room:
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should always call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Call our 24/7 nurse advice line for questions about non-emergency health concerns or where to find after-hours care at 866-763-4829.

  • Preventive services
  • Fluoride treatments for members of all ages
  •  Dental sealants for members younger than 21
  • Pain relief and treatment of infections 
  • Fillings and crowns
  • Root canal treatment

Get to know your behavioral health benefits

WellSense is dedicated to helping our members live their best lives, and that includes supporting you with any behavioral health (BH) needs. Your BH coverage includes mental health (like grief counselling and therapy to help with stress), substance use and addiction services.

WellSense provides BH services through Carelon Behavioral Health. Carelon has providers conveniently located throughout New Hampshire and the rest of the US. Most BH services are available automatically through self-referral. This means you do not have to get prior approval to visit a BH provider in Carelon’s network.

If you or a family member are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, the New Hampshire Behavioral Health Help Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Anyone can contact the Help Line. Call toll-free or text 833-710-6477 (TTY: 711) for immediate help.

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To find a behavioral health provider:
  1. Visit carelonbehavioralhealth.com
  2. Click on “Find a Provider” at the top of the page
  3. Type your WellSense Health Plan’s 
    name in the box shown
  4. Search for a specific provider, or 
    enter your ZIP code to find one 
    near you

    Or call Carelon at 855-834-5655 (TTY: 711) for help finding a provider or to ask any questions about your BH benefits

Is care management right for you?

WellSense offers our Care Management Program to help members with conditions like asthma, diabetes or other special health needs. Qualifying members receive personalized care management from a nurse or social worker. The care manager can help manage your healthcare needs with special attention to your condition(s). This includes:

  • Helping you understand and manage your specific disease(s) or condition(s)
  • Helping you access essential services, including housing, food and transportation
  • Having regular check-ins over the phone regarding your health and your needs
  • Coordinating your care with your doctors, other healthcare providers and community partners
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Check if you qualify
You may qualify for care management based on the results of a short health needs assessment. You can complete this survey online in our member portal. First time users of our member portal will need their ID number from their WellSense ID card to create an account by clicking on “Member Registration.” We will also mail copies of the survey to you at least twice a year if you haven't already completed it.