U.S. General Accounting Office (2003). Medicaid and Ticket to Work: States' early efforts to cover working individuals with disabilities. (GAO-03-587). Washington, DC: U.S. General Accounting Office.
“As of December 2002, 12 states had implemented Medicaid Buy-In programs under the authority of the Ticket to Work legislation, which was effective October 1, 2000, enrolling over 24,000 working individuals with disabilities. These states used the flexibility allowed by the legislation to raise income eligibility and asset limits as well as cost-sharing fees.
Across the 12 states, income eligibility levels ranged from 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) in Wyoming to no income limit in Minnesota, with 11 states setting income eligibility limits at twice the FPL or higher. In addition to increasing income and asset levels, these states required participants to buy in to the program by charging premiums, ranging from $26 to $82 a month, and copayments, generally ranging from $0.50 to $3 for office visits and prescription drugs.
In detailed analysis of four states—Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, and New Jersey—GAO found that most Buy-In participants had prior insurance coverage by Medicaid and Medicare, few had prior coverage by private health insurance, and many earned low wages—most making less than $800 per month.”
(from GAO’s introduction)
