2.4 Manage Benefits
- 2.4.1 Apply For Benefits
- 2.4.2 Renew My Benefits
- 2.4.3 Report A Change
- 2.4.4 Submit Documents
- 2.4.5 Submitted Documents
- 2.4.6 Manage My HMO
- 2.4.7 Search For a Doctor or Clinic
- 2.4.8 Pay My Premiums
- 2.4.9 Get an Explanation of Medical Benefits
- 2.4.10 Food Benefits Replacement Request
- 2.4.11 Get a New ForwardHealth or SeniorCare Card
- 2.4.12 History of Important Changes
- 2.4.13 Request a 1095-B Tax Form
The member has several options for managing their benefits from the Manage Benefits drop-down menu on the account homepage. The available options are based on the member’s individual situation.
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2.4.1 Apply For Benefits
To apply for another program, select Apply for benefits under Manage Benefits on the account homepage. From the account homepage, the member can also select either Apply for benefits quick link at the top or bottom of the page.
For detailed information on applying for benefits, see Chapter 4 Apply for Benefits.
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The following page displays. Select Add benefits.
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This page allows members to apply for another benefit while their case is open. Members can only apply for benefits they are not currently receiving. Members who have questions about their benefits should call their agency.
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2.4.2 Renew My Benefits
To start a renewal, select Renew my benefits under Manage benefits on the account home page.
| Note | If a member has a renewal due for health care, FoodShare, and/or Child Care, an alerts section displays at the top of the account home page. Select Start renewal. W-2 reviews can only be completed through an appointment with a W-2 worker. A member should contact their assigned worker if an appointment has not been scheduled by the month their review is due. |
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The following page displays. Select Renew benefits.
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This page shows the programs for which a member can renew benefits and the date the renewals are due.
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For more information about renewing benefits, see SECTION 8.1 RENEW MY BENEFITS INTRODUCTION.
2.4.3 Report A Change
To report changes, select Report a change under Manage Benefits on the account homepage or from the quick link.
| Note | ACCESS can be used to report changes for FoodShare, health care, and Child Care, but not W-2. Changes that could affect W-2 eligibility must be reported to a member’s W-2 agency within 10 days of the change. |
The Report a change page displays, select Report changes.
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Things to know about your change report page displays, select Next.
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What changes are you reporting page displays. The changes that members must report differ based on the programs that they are enrolled in. Members may check the boxes for any changes they need to report. Some changes can’t be reported through ACCESS. For those changes, members must call their agency to report the change.
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Members who report changes through ACCESS don’t also need to contact their agency to report the change. It may take up to 10 days for the reported change to be processed, and, in some cases, the change may not result in a change in benefits.
For most changes, members need to provide verification of the change. Verification must be provided (upload using ACCESS or MyACCESS, by mail, fax, or in person at an agency) by the date included with the request for verification or the changes can’t be made and the member’s benefits may end.
For more information about reporting changes, see CHAPTER 7 REPORT A CHANGE.
2.4.4 Submit Documents
To submit documents, select My documents under Manage Benefits on the account homepage or Submit documents from the quick link. The My documents page displays. From here, the member can review options for submitting needed and suggested documents. For more information, see Section 6.1 SUBMIT DOCUMENTS INTRODUCTION and pages 10-13 of Guide to Applying.
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The member can select submit documents even if they are not required to submit needed or suggested documents. The following page displays to begin document submission.
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2.4.5 Submitted Documents
Select My Documents under Manage Benefits on the account homepage to view a list of the documents the member has submitted in the past 90 days. The member can view and download any document submitted through ACCESS (desktop or mobile) in PDF format. Any documents received through mail, fax, or at the agency display on the page, but the member is not able to view or download these.
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2.4.6 Manage My HMO
Select Manage my HMO under Manage Benefits on the account homepage to be taken to the HMO homepage, where the member can choose or change an HMO. For more information, see SECTION 10.3.1 MANAGE MY HMO.
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2.4.7 Search For a Doctor or Clinic
Select Search for a doctor or clinic under Manage Benefits on the account homepage. The Provider search page displays. From here, the member can search for doctors or clinics using various filter options, such as category, doctor or clinic name, HMO, specialty, gender, languages, and clinic type.
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2.4.8 Pay My Premiums
This option displays for members who owe a premium. Members can select Pay my premiums under Manage Benefits on the account homepage to see how much they owe, to make a payment, and to view all premium history. See CHAPTER 11 PREMIUMS for more information.
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2.4.9 Get an Explanation of Medical Benefits
An Explanation of Medical Benefits (EOMB) is a statement of medical services that have been received through a health plan. Members can request an EOMB for up to the last six years through their ACCESS account. The primary person or the spouse of the primary person can request an EOMB for anyone receiving health care on their case. A person who is not the primary person or is not the spouse of the primary person can only request an EOMB for themselves.
To request an EOMB:
- Select Get an explanation of benefits under Manage Benefits on the account homepage. An EOMB can also be requested through a link on the Health Care Details page.
- Select who needs an EOMB and select Next.
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- Select the date range for the medical services they're requesting an EOMB for and select Next.
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- Review the request and select Submit.
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- After the request has been submitted, a confirmation page displays. If the request was successful, the person can expect to receive an EOMB within 10 business days. If the request was not successful a message displays telling the person, the request could not be submitted and to call Member Services. To return to the account homepage, select Go to account home.
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2.4.10 Food Benefits Replacement Request
To request food benefits replacement, select Food replacement request under Manage benefits on the account home page or from the Food benefit details page.
| Note | The link for Food Benefits Replacement Request is only available to members that are either current FoodShare recipients or whose benefits have been recently closed or who received Summer EBT. |
The following page displays to begin the request for food benefits replacement. This page allows members to request food benefits replacement when they experience a loss of food purchased with FoodShare or Summer EBT benefits due to household misfortune or natural disaster.
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For more information about food benefits replacement request, see SECTION 13.1 REQUESTING FOOD BENEFITS REPLACEMENT REQUEST INTRODUCTION.
2.4.11 Get a New ForwardHealth or SeniorCare Card
To request a new ForwardHealth or SeniorCare card:
- Select Get a new ForwardHealth card or Get a new SeniorCare card under Manage Benefits on the account homepage. A new card can also be requested on the Health Care Details page and select Get a new ForwardHealth Card. The primary person can request a card for anyone on their case. A person who is not a primary person can only request a card for themselves.
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- Select who needs a new card and select Next.
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- Select a reason why a new card is being requested and select Next.
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- Review the request and select Submit.
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- After the request has been submitted, a confirmation page displays. If the request was successful, the person can expect to receive a new card within 10 business days. If the request was not successful a message displays telling the person the request could not be submitted and to call Member Services. To return to the account homepage, select Go to account home.
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2.4.12 History of Important Changes
The History of important changes page displays a list of changes, such as FoodShare, premium, cost share, and spenddown amounts from the time an ACCESS account was created. The History option does not display for W-2.
From the account homepage, select History of important changes under Manage Benefits.
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Select the arrow for filter options. Choose filters. The history of important changes displays to the right based on the filter options selected.
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2.4.13 Request a 1095-B Tax Form
To get more information on how to request a 1095-B tax form select IRS 1095-B Tax information under Manage Benefits on the account homepage to be taken to the ForwardHealth: IRS 1095-B Tax Form FAQs Important Health Coverage Tax Documents page of the DHS website.
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This page last updated in Release Number: 25-01
Release Date: 10/18/2025
Effective Date: 10/18/2025