Medicaid question

[vic120]

I don't have any experience, with Medicaid

However I have a client long time client actually, she is very low income now (about 20K incomes annual) and really struggling now her husb passed for years ago, and she has been draining her bank account

So I told her to try and apply Medicaid, but she came back today and said it was really wired no talk about paying part B or food stamps

but rather said was trying to get her 10K to pay her bills? I never heard that before but she buit did not sound hopeful she would be approved

Also they told her she needs to sell her car? a 2003 grand jeep Cherokee

I dont know none of this sounds familiar but I dont know

 

[straightnochaser]

I don't have any experience, with Medicaid

However I have a client long time client actually, she is very low income now (about 20K incomes annual) and really struggling now her husb passed for years ago, and she has been draining her bank account

So I told her to try and apply Medicaid, but she came back today and said it was really wired no talk about paying part B or food stamps

but rather said was trying to get her 10K to pay her bills? I never heard that before but she buit did not sound hopeful she would be approved

Also they told her she needs to sell her car? a 2003 grand jeep Cherokee

I dont know none of this sounds familiar but I dont know

Sounds like she spoke to a health agent and not HHS....

 

[Cenla Agent]

Based on the info provided, we can only talk generalities. Plus, eligibility can vary widely by state. They also have a lot of different programs. It sounds like you were trying to get her set up with SLMB or QMB and whoever she spoke to started talking about something else, maybe because they didn’t think she qualified for that now or maybe because they didn’t understand what she wanted.

Although there can be exceptions depending on the Medicaid program being applied for, Medicaid counts assets, not just income. There are some things they count and some that they do not. You cannot have much money in the bank and qualify. You can have at least one car. If she has several cars, maybe that’s a few too many.

Normally it is not hard to find what the income and asset limits are for your state. Typically I show that to people and often they’ll have a good idea whether or not they might qualify and whether or not it is worthwhile to take the time to apply. “Extra Help” for Part D costs is similar, but that’s through SSA and not Medicaid.

(One of the outrages about Obamacare is that unlike traditional Medicaid, expanded Medicaid under the ACA doesn’t count assets. So you end up with people with Porsches and Mercedes getting free insurance because their taxable income is low.)

I think food stamps is a different office but I think there is one application for everything in some states, if not everywhere. So they may have taken an application and asked her questions she wasn’t expecting because there may be a bunch of stuff that is evaluated on the app besides help with Medicare costs.

10k to pay bills in general, or to pay medical bills? I do know that Medicaid (at least in some places) has a program, sometimes called “spend down” that helps people pay for large hospital bills, etc. In my experience this is often done with the uninsured.

 

[vic120]

Based on the info provided, we can only talk generalities. Plus, eligibility can vary widely by state. They also have a lot of different programs. It sounds like you were trying to get her set up with SLMB or QMB and whoever she spoke to started talking about something else, maybe because they didn’t think she qualified for that now or maybe because they didn’t understand what she wanted.

Although there can be exceptions depending on the Medicaid program being applied for, Medicaid counts assets, not just income. There are some things they count and some that they do not. You cannot have much money in the bank and qualify. You can have at least one car. If she has several cars, maybe that’s a few too many.

Normally it is not hard to find what the income and asset limits are for your state. Typically I show that to people and often they’ll have a good idea whether or not they might qualify and whether or not it is worthwhile to take the time to apply. “Extra Help” for Part D costs is similar, but that’s through SSA and not Medicaid.

(One of the outrages about Obamacare is that unlike traditional Medicaid, expanded Medicaid under the ACA doesn’t count assets. So you end up with people with Porsches and Mercedes getting free insurance because their taxable income is low.)

I think food stamps is a different office but I think there is one application for everything in some states, if not everywhere. So they may have taken an application and asked her questions she wasn’t expecting because there may be a bunch of stuff that is evaluated on the app besides help with Medicare costs.

10k to pay bills in general, or to pay medical bills? I do know that Medicaid (at least in some places) has a program, sometimes called “spend down” that helps people pay for large hospital bills, etc. In my experience this is often done with the uninsured.

yea I don know what kind of bills she does have that much in medical bills

I felt bad for her she was a long time client nice lady I took times to encourage her to apply

I never heard of Medicaid giving 10K to pay bills

But yes I do this she had 2 cars when I spoke with her again

I dont know how people help seniors with this day in and out working the duel market, I dont have the time to really help her now though I did what I can but I dont understand it really

 

[AgentGeneral]

yea I don know what kind of bills she does have that much in medical bills

I felt bad for her she was a long time client nice lady I took times to encourage her to apply

I never heard of Medicaid giving 10K to pay bills

But yes I do this she had 2 cars when I spoke with her again

I dont know how people help seniors with this day in and out working the duel market, I dont have the time to really help her now though I did what I can but I dont understand it really

Dual is a hard market IF they do not already have it in place. Lots of work and regardless of what some agents claim in here that we do it all for the $$$. To me the money a dual agent makes is almost not commensurate to the amount of work that goes into it. Dual actually think we are "case workers" sometimes.

Different states do different things. Some give medicaid if theyre over the asset income levels for various reasons. Same with Extra help in some cases, but slightly over, not super high over the the limit. So I encourage it even if theyre a little over. I carry printouts of limits. Easy to find for your state online.

In the beginning I was helping many handle this.

Medicaid is ran by the state but also helped by fed for funding.

I tell clients Part B premium help is through the state medicaid office, DHS, go there and ask them for an application and check the one and only question buried in the middle of the app that says "Do you need help paying for health premiums?" That question must be checked yes. Medicaid office here doesn't just tell them about it. It's like they are applying for full medicaid to get that and it's the same process. THat question is easily overlooked. I'm speaking state specific to Michigan here. Helped many households with savings over $300 with this alone, even if they end up with a "spend down". Spend down plans are not good here, and they still need a PPO or....these ones don't qualify for the tons of freebies. the medicaid part is almost null, other than MSP.

I think theyre working on that to streamline it more bc now I see it in the SS sites Extra help app at the end of the super simple app, something like this "Do you want your info sent in to see if you qualify for Medicare savings program?" that's what part b premium help is called. Hope this actually helps it be easier. Here there are "spend down" plans and those aren't generally eligible for Dsnp plans and so the "medicaid" isn't helpful at all with massive $1200 per month due before coverage begins (that's a common example) --- so these medicaid people are better off with a PPO choice....supposedly theres a new one for them in 2024.

Extra help?LIS is only for the Rx. This would be the easiest route now if it IS in fact streamlined. I'm still helping people with Extra help on the Ss site, bc that's 10 minutes and easy.

On the two cars...here it's fine as long as it's specified in back of application that ONE is broke down and not drivable. Often is the case there is a broke down jalopy and one car barely running in these households. Most apps have an empty space to write extra information/details pertaining to their specific situation. this has helped clients get it when otherwise they would not have. Ex: One 28 yr old female single mom on disability had two decent cars but one had a blown engine....this helped her qualify with two cars in her name.

This year, I just tell them where the office is and have them walk in, get an application and help there. Or have a family member help them. Some are ok with doing online apps and this helps, but here a great number of seniors/ those with disabilities have zero access to tablets, laptops or even internet service. Luckily in the counties here, if they do walk in there are social workers that often do help that day.

If they try to just call here on the phone, almost no luck in that dept. No one ever answers or returns calls.

After the initial application is sent in to the state then the real fun begins. they'll get a letter asking for "proofs" to be sent in within 10 days. Usually they receive this letter with 2 days to spare. Bank account copies of balances, some cases car title, rent/mortgage receipts, proof of income, etc. half a dozen or more proofs. And this all proves hard for those with no access to internet etc. the ones who need it most get waylaid.

p.s. when they do have eligibility, then the state site is a wonky mess and it's hard for an agent to even figure that part out 50/50 toss up.