How does Medicaid actually work?

Mountaindewed · Jan 09, 2019 at 06:34 PM

I thought you had to have a mental or physical illness, or have kids and be low income. I thought it was extremely hard to qualify for. But these people I know were talking about being on Medicaid. They have two jobs and work a lot of hours and still qualify. I could only have $2000 in my name, and I couldn’t even work alot of hours. I had to get off Medicaid, because I was earning and saving too much money. Plus medicaid wasnt paying for my therapist, and my doctor decided she wouldnt take it anymore. Also I was getting bad Psychiatric care on Medicaid and I couldn’t find any other doctor that would take it. I’m just on Medicare now, and am paying the difference.

But I am just curious, because I always thought it was so hard to get.

amandalouise · Jan 10, 2019 at 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountaindewed

I thought you had to have a mental or physical illness, or have kids and be low income. I thought it was extremely hard to qualify for. But these people I know were talking about being on Medicaid. They have two jobs and work a lot of hours and still qualify. I could only have $2000 in my name, and I couldn’t even work alot of hours. I had to get off Medicaid, because I was earning and saving too much money. Plus medicaid wasnt paying for my therapist, and my doctor decided she wouldnt take it anymore. Also I was getting bad Psychiatric care on Medicaid and I couldn’t find any other doctor that would take it. I’m just on Medicare now, and am paying the difference.

But I am just curious, because I always thought it was so hard to get.

Medicaid is health insurance. a while back america changed over to a new health system and laws. one of those changes is that every american must have health insurance. if their jobs didnt offer health insurance as part of their workers benefits package the employee has to either apply for private health insurance or state health insurance. state health insurance offered through each locations department of human services goes according to income. people can still have a full time job and still qualify for their states medicaid program if their income is with in the income brackets allowed. just like a person witha job may still qualify for food stamps if their income is with in the income amounts that qualify them for it.

my point these people you are talking about probably have incomes that fall with in the right amounts that allow them to still qualify for state health insurance plans.

nonightowl · Jan 10, 2019 at 02:58 PM

Most states expanded their Medicaid to income low-income childless adults. In the old days, before Obamacare (ACA), one had to have children to qualify, which is counter intuitive to me. I mean, it's more mouths to feed.

Depending on the state, the eligibility requirements vary. For food stamps, some used to count assets, like if you have a car or house, you didn't qualify! I can't believe they expect you to sell your car or house to buy food. Now, one can still qualify with those things. That's just an example. I'm not as familiar with Medicaid.

For some people in states that didn't expand, they fall through the cracks if they make "too much" for Medicaid but "not enough" to get insurance on their own or to apply on the exchange. The income threshold is very low. Yet they could be too rich for Medicaid. And fewer employers offer benefits now, as they complain of the cost.

Medicaid is funded by both federal and state funds. With this government shutdown, they said food stamps could be affected as well, but for now they have funding at least for January......

MickeyCheeky · Jan 12, 2019 at 09:06 AM

Yes, I believe it depends on the State you're in, Mountaindewed. Perhaps you can try to apply for Medicaid this time around? If you want to, of course. Maybe they will accept it. Sending many hugs to you

Mountaindewed · Jan 12, 2019 at 02:06 PM

I would apply to it if I didn’t have Medicare. Or if I got very sick and had a lot of medical bills. Right now I’m doing ok since my insurance covers all my meds and the only bill I currently get is a $15 doctor bill every 3 months. It’s nice though to know that it’s not as impossible to get as I had thought.

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MickeyCheeky Legendary Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Italy Posts: 11,817 (SuperPoster!) 7 38.4k hugs given	Jan 12, 2019 at 09:06 AM #4 Yes, I believe it depends on the State you're in, Mountaindewed. Perhaps you can try to apply for Medicaid this time around? If you want to, of course. Maybe they will accept it. Sending many hugs to you
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Mountaindewed Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Where the sidewalk ends Posts: 36,113 (SuperPoster!) 7 8,736 hugs given	Jan 12, 2019 at 02:06 PM #5 I would apply to it if I didn’t have Medicare. Or if I got very sick and had a lot of medical bills. Right now I’m doing ok since my insurance covers all my meds and the only bill I currently get is a $15 doctor bill every 3 months. It’s nice though to know that it’s not as impossible to get as I had thought. __________________ Ridin' with Biden
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