All tools · Medicaid Renewal Helper FL

How do I appeal a Medicaid denial or termination in Florida?

Use the free tool — Medicaid Renewal Helper FL

What your letter means

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) runs Medicaid eligibility through ACCESS Florida. If you got a denial or termination letter, it should have a case number and a deadline printed on it. Do not guess — use the exact date on your letter. If you're not sure what the letter says, you can check your case at MyACCESS or call the DCF customer call center at 1-850-300-4323.

If you were terminated for missing paperwork: the 90-day window

If your Medicaid ended because you didn't return renewal papers, federal rules give you a second chance. Under 42 C.F.R. § 435.916, you have up to 90 days after the termination to send in the renewal — and the state must process it without you having to file a brand-new application. This is a federal rule, not a promise from this tool. Confirm your own 90-day window with DCF.

How to appeal: request a Fair Hearing

You can also appeal the decision itself by asking for a Fair Hearing. Your notice should list the deadline to request one — Florida rules generally allow up to 90 days from the notice date, but the date printed on your specific letter is the one that counts.

• If you ask for the hearing before your termination date, your benefits can keep going while the appeal is decided.
• Only DCF makes the final decision on your case — this tool cannot appeal for you and cannot tell you whether you'll win.

Documents to gather and how to send them

Send exactly what your letter asks for. If you're not sure, send more rather than less. Depending on your situation, that can include:

• Proof of income — pay stubs for the last 4 weeks, an employer letter, a Social Security/SSI award letter, or a self-employment ledger
• Identity and residency — ID, lease, or utility bill
• Immigration documents, if the letter asks for them
• Household composition
• Medical proof, for disability-based Medicaid categories

How you send it matters:

• MyACCESS upload is fastest and time-stamped.
• Fax — keep the confirmation page.
• In person at a DCF office or community partner site — ask for a stamped copy.
• Mail is slowest — allow about a week.

Keep copies of everything, and write your case number on every page.

Seniors, disability, and children on the same case

If you're on Medicare and Medicaid, or on SSI-related Medicaid, or using a long-term care program, income and asset rules can be different from other Medicaid categories. This tool does not decide eligibility for these programs. For free counseling, contact SHINE at 1-800-963-5337 or your local Aging and Disability Resource Center.

If your letter also covers children, children's coverage (Medicaid and Florida KidCare) has its own, higher income limits. Use the Kid's Health Coverage FL tool for that part of the case — it isn't decided here.

If Medicaid has truly ended

If your Medicaid coverage is really over — not just paused for paperwork — losing it opens a special enrollment period on the health insurance Marketplace, and subsidies are likely available. The Marketplace Subsidy Check FL tool and a certified navigator can help with that next step.

What to do next

Paste your actual DCF letter — or type what it says — into the free tool. It will read back your deadline in plain words, list the papers to send, and explain whether you're inside the 90-day reconsideration window or need to request a Fair Hearing. Nothing you paste is stored.

Free legal help for Medicaid denials and terminations is available by county at FloridaLawHelp.org.

This tool is not a caseworker or a lawyer and can be wrong. It does not determine eligibility. It is not legal advice. Only DCF decides your case — confirm every deadline on your own letter and with DCF at 1-850-300-4323 or free legal aid.

Medicaid Renewal Helper FL explains Florida Medicaid renewal and appeal steps in plain language from official sources; it can be wrong, and it is not legal advice. It does not determine eligibility. Confirm with DCF, a certified navigator, or Florida legal aid. Nothing you paste is stored.