Press Releases – Page 2 – Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

N.C. Medicaid Redetermination Begins as the end of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Draws Near

Posted on April 19, 2023

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy shares rights and recourse for beneficiaries

Charlotte, N.C. – Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy has received calls and inquiries from clients who are concerned about Medicaid redetermination, a process the Department of Social Services (DSS) started earlier this month to verify those who receive Medicaid are still eligible.

Beneficiaries will be contacted by DSS through May 31, 2024, to determine eligibility; those who are no longer eligible will have their Medicaid coverage reduced or terminated. Medicaid redetermination dovetails with the end of pandemic-related relief in advance of the May 11, 2023, expiration of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency. More information is available on the Advocacy Center’s website.

“Since March 2020, Medicaid beneficiaries have had the peace of mind knowing that they would not lose health coverage in the midst of the pandemic,” explained Toussaint Romain, chief executive officer of the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy. “While we understand pandemic aid cannot last forever, challenges related to COVID-19 are still very present and real for those struggling to keep employment, health coverage and food on the table.”

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy urges clients to:

Contact their local DSS office to ensure contact information is up to date.
Watch for mail, texts or phone calls from DSS and respond promptly.
Create an enhanced e-PASS account to update information, upload documents and view benefits.

● Reach DSS by phone, including the right to leave a message instead of remaining on hold, and to have a call returned within a reasonable time.
● Request and receive help from DSS to obtain the information needed to redetermine eligibility.
● Have DSS accept a detailed statement about income, assets and most other facts needed to verify eligibility, in writing or verbally, without providing supporting documents.
● Not to be asked to verify information that DSS can obtain through electronic sources or to verify information that is not needed to redetermine eligibility.
● Have Medicaid eligibility considered under all categories, including an alleged disability, before Medicaid can be terminated or reduced.
● Receive written notice that states what action has been taken and the reason it has been taken before Medicaid is stopped or reduced.

Thanks to a lawsuit filed by Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and the National Health Law Program, Medicaid beneficiaries are entitled to specific protections and rights during the redetermination process. These rights were defined as the result of a settlement reached on October 14, 2022, in Franklin v. Kinsley, (formerly known as Hawkins v. Cohen), which requires North Carolina Medicaid to change its procedures, forms and notices in redetermining Medicaid eligibility for the 2.8 million North Carolinians currently enrolled in Medicaid. Where Medicaid redetermination is concerned, beneficiaries have the right to:

If their Medicaid is terminated, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy urges clients to:

● File an appeal during which beneficiaries:
○ Will have 60 days from the date of the notice to ask for an appeal.
○ Can request Medicaid benefits be continued while the appeal is reviewed, if the appeal is filed within 10 business days
● Investigate whether they are eligible for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Medicare or Health Insurance MarketplaceⓇ coverage
● Call Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy if they feel their coverage was wrongfully reduced or terminated (call 704-376-1600 and press 2).

About Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy provides those in need with information, advice and advocacy in consumer protection, home preservation, health care access and public benefits, immigration, tax assistance and more. Our mission is to pursue justice for those in need. Our vision is to build a just community, where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic human needs of safety, economic security, and stability. Learn more: charlottelegaladvocacy.org

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy Welcomes Partner Agency, Share Charlotte, as Tenant Organizations Offered Shared Vision at 2/23 Event

Posted on February 23, 2023

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy officially welcomed SHARE Charlotte as a new tenant of the Advocacy Center, at a special event held early today with CEO Toussaint Romain and SHARE’s Managing Director, Melissa Hovey. Both leaders discussed the importance of strengthening community-based solutions at a SHARE-a-latte event hosted at their shared space located at 5535 Albemarle Road in Charlotte. SHARE Charlotte connects and supports more than 600 local nonprofits with engagement opportunities, one of whom is The Advocacy Center which pursues justice for those in need. Learn more at charlottelegaladvocacy.org and sharecharlotte.org.

Sharing space in The Advocacy Center’s new east Charlotte location will increase SHARE Charlotte’s visibility in a diverse and growing part of Charlotte that is highly accessible. Likewise The Advocacy Center will benefit from increased awareness among SHARE Charlotte’s vast network of nonprofit partners which have the potential to create partnerships and synergy for the benefit of The Advocacy Center’s client base. Both organizations are committed to fostering a
spirit of networking and relationship building with the Charlotte community in mind.

“The vision of Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is to build a just community where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic human needs. We
cannot achieve that vision alone,” said Romain. “SHARE supports like minded nonprofit organizations in Charlotte and beyond with opportunities to connect, grow and thrive.” “The need in our community is so great. In order to empower Charlotte neighbors to achieve safety, security and stability, it takes every agency and organization working closely together,” said Hovey. “We are excited about the natural intersections that will occur from sharing space.”

Volunteers are cornerstone for both The Advocacy Center and SHARE Charlotte, which thrive due to the involvement of the Charlotte public, once ranked eleventh in the nation for volunteerism. In 2022, The Advocacy Center coordinated over 6,000 pro bono hours from attorneys and law firms to help clients with issues ranging from asylum and immigration support, to criminal record expunction and estate planning. That same year, SHARE coordinated 4,200 volunteer opportunities for nonprofit organizations like Classroom Central and Roof Above.

SHARE Charlotte started as a single platform built for Charlotteans to find and connect with local nonprofits who need support and volunteers. In December 2012, that platform went live with 87 nonprofit partners. In ten years, the platform has grown to 624 nonprofit partners, representing approximately 85% of all active 501c3 organizations in Mecklenburg County. SHARE’s community-wide giving campaigns and events have influenced $42M in financial support to local nonprofits and 22,000 volunteer opportunities.

Since 1967, The Advocacy Center’s staff and pro bono attorneys have provided comprehensive civil legal services for the region’s low-income residents. In 2022 alone, the organization served
5,300 clients, more than 900 of whom were non-English speakers. (This number includes legal assistance provided to 170 veterans, 513 seniors and 196 unaccompanied migrant children.) The organization obtained $11.6M in financial benefits for clients, supporting their health and economic security.

About Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

About SHARE Charlotte

SHARE Charlotte is Powering Social Good in Charlotte by offering simple ways for neighbors, nonprofits and businesses to come together through good to support our local community. We do this by providing a one-stop shop to engage with more than 600+ Mecklenburg County nonprofits at sharecharlotte.org, and by connecting our nonprofit partners to valuable local resources and opportunities. We envision a Charlotte united through GOOD! Learn more on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Emergency Food Stamp Allotments End This Month Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy Shares Four Steps for Those Impacted

Posted on February 22, 2023

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is raising awareness of a sudden pandemic-related public benefit decrease that will impact many low-income families. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service announced that the temporary increase in SNAP benefits (known as food stamps) put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic will end this February. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 law recently passed by Congress ends the emergency allotment of an additional $95 per month or more that families have received since March 2020. There will be no emergency allotment included in families’ March 2023 benefit. More information is available on the USDA’s website; easy to understand resources for families affected can be found on the Advocacy Center’s website.

The Advocacy Center has four recommendations for North Carolina residents:

Review current SNAP benefits through www.ebtedge.com, the EBTEdge mobile app or by calling the North Carolina EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328.
Compare. Those not already receiving the maximum monthly benefit may be able to increase benefits by reporting changes, including certain income and expenses.
Contact DSS to report changes.
a. There are several circumstances that may result in increased benefits such as: decreased income, increases in rent, mortgage or property taxes, and added expenses of caring for a child or disabled adult.
b. The Advocacy Center also encourages heads of households to ensure the Department of Social Services has their current address.
Call an advocate if something goes wrong. Those who have taken the above steps and still think something is wrong with their food stamps should contact a legal advocate for assistance. The Advocacy Center helps those in Mecklenburg County, and Legal Aid of North Carolina and Pisgah Legal Services provide support for those in surrounding areas.

About Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy