Applying for Medicaid is no picnic in the park. The process is long and difficult. That is why it helps to partner with a Medicaid pooled trust company to make the transition easier. With planning and due diligence, you can receive what you require in health care benefits.
Before you review the steps to enroll in Medicaid, it helps to define the program. Medicaid represents a federal healthcare plan that allows people who are 65 years or older, or disabled, to receive healthcare services. The services are comprehensive, with much of the plan directed toward the long-term care needs of the disabled and elderly.
1. Use Medicaid Planning to Determine Income Eligibility
Medicaid planning takes time and scrupulous attention to detail. You cannot waltz through the steps quickly. For example, you need to figure if you’re eligible first, as Medicaid is income-based. To determine your modified adjusted gross income or MAGI, you need to refer to a recent tax return. These earnings as well as non-taxable Social Security benefits, tax-exempt interest, or other untaxed income will determine your status. If you need further information, you can visit this site to learn more.
2. Gather the Documents for Filing
You will need to gather certain documents when applying for Medicaid. If your MAGI shows you qualify, you need to supply backup documents that prove U.S. citizenship green card or birth certificate), size of household and income.
If you’re employed, you may have to submit current pay stubs for the past four weeks or, if retired, show proof that you receive retirement benefits or Social Security. The copy of a mortgage contract or a rental agreement may be used to show proof of residence.
3. Determine Where You Need to Apply
In New York, if you’re applying under MAGI rules or are applying for an adult (aged 18 to 64) or as a pregnant woman, you can apply online on the state’s marketplace. After you apply, the state may send a letter asking for confirmation documents.
If you’re not eligible under MAGI rules but still believe you qualify for Medicaid, you need to apply through an LDSS office or at a Local District Social Services site.
Some Medicaid applicants, who live in certain boroughs, must apply through the city’s Human Resources Administration or HRA.
4. Wait for Notification
Usually, you will receive notice of a denial or approval 45 days from the date of your application. If you’re applying for children or are pregnant, a notice is usually sent in about a month.
If you’re accepted, you will receive complete details about using your benefits.
If you’re denied because of your income, you can learn more about joining a pooled income trust. Doing so will allow you to still receive Medicaid benefits and use the additional income for daily living expenses or costs that directly affect your living preferences and requirements.
Make Applying Easier by Contacting a Medicaid-based Trust Services Firm
Again, you need to have patience when applying for Medicaid. To make applying easier, contact a pooled income trust provider to usher you through the steps.