Medicaid services provide benefits to individuals with low incomes who cannot afford health insurance. It is regulated and funded by the Federal government along with state government. Each state has the responsibility to put Medicaid into practice according to specific guidelines in order to receive assistance from the Federal government.
But it does take more than low funds for an individual or family to be eligible for Medicaid benefits. There are other considerations which are evaluated in order to decide if Medicaid services should be provided. These considerations include the age of the person who is applying for Medicaid, whether the individual is pregnant or disabled in any way, and whether the person is a U.S. citizen. There are also rules that apply to disabled children and those who are residing in nursing homes.
What needs to be done in Order to Apply for Medicaid?
- To apply for Medicaid, you will be required to fill out an application that will ask you a number of questions about your financial status, any outstanding medical bills you may have, what your monthly expenses are, and what assets you have. You will also be required to produce documentation to back up the information that you are stating in your application.
- An application for Medicaid services can be obtained through your local Department of Social Services or Social Security office. You can come into the office to fill out the application, bringing with you the pertinent documentation that you will need. A representative from the office can tell you over the phone what documents you will be required to obtain. You can also have an application mailed out to you that can be filled out and then mailed back with the appropriate documents. In some cases, the application may be able to be filled out over the phone by speaking to someone from the Medicaid office and giving that person the pertinent information.
- When the completed application and all of the documentation have been provided to the proper personnel for evaluation, it may take up to 45 days before you hear anything concerning your eligibility for Medicaid services. If further information or documentation is needed for a proper evaluation to be done, you will be notified by the Medicaid office so that you can comply with the requirements.
If you are not eligible for Medicaid benefits but are having a difficult time in obtaining medical care because of financial hardship, there are other types of insurance that may be able to assist you by providing coverage that you can afford. You should explore every avenue in finding healthcare coverage that will be within your means.
Listed below are some of the documents that you need to obtain, when you apply for Medicaid:
- Your Birth Certificate.
- Your Social Security card as well as your Medicare card, if you have Medicare.
- The last three months’ of pay stubs, if you are working.
- Insurance policies that you may have, including other health insurance coverage and life insurance. Where applicable, you will also need to obtain verification of the cash value of certain policies.
- Proof that you are a U.S. citizen.
- Proof of address.
- Verification of your monthly expenses for at least three months previous to the date that you are filing for Medicaid. Monthly expenses would include utility bills, rent, premiums on health and auto insurance, and any other expenses you have that are paid on a monthly basis.
- Outstanding medical bills.
- Documentation on savings and checking accounts, money market funds, certificates of deposit, stocks and bonds, IRAs, and any other financial assets you may have. This type of documentation should cover the previous 36 months.
- Deeds to any property that you own.
- Titles to all vehicles.
- Documentation on burial policies, burial trusts or funeral arrangements that have been prepaid.
Medicaid services can greatly help those who have a low income and are eligible to receive benefits. If you have been accepted, benefits will cover the previous three months before the filing of your application, as it is retroactive. If your financial circumstances change for the better, your Medicaid will stop.