Ask Mike - When will I be eligible for Medicaid?

Dear Waiting for Medicaid,

You write that since July, 2009, you receive "federal disability of $1325.00 per month based on being widow". You want to know when you will receive Medicaid because you have severe medical problems and cannot afford the doctor bills.

It sounds like you receive Social Security Survivor and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. In any case, you will never automatically receive Medicaid. Eligibility for Medicaid is based on poverty status and is not linked to receipt of Social Security Survivor or SSDI benefits. If, in fact, you have become eligible for SSDI in July of 2009, then you will become eligible for Medicare, NOT Medicaid, in July 2011. This is because the law (Social Security Act) requires a 24 month waiting period between initial eligibility for SSDI and eligibility for Medicare.

There is no similar waiting period for Medicaid. However, to become eligible, a person usually must experience extreme poverty. In most states, your income would substantially exceed the maximum limit set for Medicaid eligibility. Some states allow for exceptions depending on certain circumstances such as eligibility for particular programs, or being diagnosed with certain conditions. One such example is eligibility for HCBS Medicaid Waivers and/or eligibility for Medicaid nursing facilities. In this example, many states set financial eligibility for HCBS at 300% of SSI income or around $2022.00 based on SSI income at $674.00.

To find out more about Social Security and Medicare, try going to www.ssa.gov. To focus specifically on Medicare, try www.medicare.gov These are both official US government websites. Sometimes community organizations such as Centers for Independent Living, Areas Agencies on Aging or Aging & Disability Resource Centers provide assistance with Social Security information/Social Security benefits. To see if these organizations may be accessible to you and able to help you, go to our State Information page and click on Agencies Related to PAS. On the map of the USA that comes up, click on your state and then scroll down and click on the various types of agencies listed (Especially those listed, above) to see if they can help. You will need to contact them using the information provided. While you are at it, don't forget to contact your state Medicaid agency to obtain information about eligibility and/or to apply for Medicaid or for a Waiver. One or more of the other agencies mentioned earlier may be able to help you with more information about Medicaid or with applying.

Good luck! I really hope you don't end up just having to wait another year for Medicare to kick in. There has been an advocacy push to eliminate the two year wait for many years. It is possible that a Center for Independent Living (CIL), in particular, might be able to assist you with more information about advocacy to eliminate the two year wait in Medicare, if you are interested.

Mike Oxford