Top 10 Proven Tips -How Medicaid programs can help seniors pay for medical expenses | uxa2.com

If you’re like many seniors, you may be living on a limited income. You may also get your health care through Medicare. Medicare typically has costs associated with it, which means you have to stretch your dollars even further, which can be challenging. But Medicaid can help.

Unlike Medicare, where eligibility is based primarily on age, Medicaid eligibility depends on income level. If you qualify for Medicaid and are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, Medicaid can help you with medical expenses that exceed what Medicare usually covers.

Medicaid programs vary from state to state. Learn more, including if you’re eligible, which programs may be most helpful in your situation, what Medicaid may cover, and how to help loved ones get the coverage they need.

Is Medicaid available to seniors?

Unlike Medicare, Medicaid has no age requirement. Instead, eligibility is based on income, resource limitations and other factors. So any age who may be eligible can apply including senior citizens.

Medicare is divided into four parts (Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D) where you can pay premiums, deductibles, and co-payments, which can be difficult for seniors living on limited incomes. That’s why Medicaid is especially helpful for older adults because, while Medicare provides basic health care, Medicaid is medical assistance that pays for things that Medicare doesn’t.

If you are not eligible for Medicaid as a senior, you may be eligible for the Medicare Savings Program or help paying your Medicare costs. This includes help paying your Part B premium or Part D prescription drug plan and more.

What Medicaid Benefits Can Help Seniors

Medicare covers a lot of things, but a lot it doesn’t. Medicaid can fill in the gaps, and it can be low-cost or free for seniors. Benefits include:

1. Help paying out-of-pocket medical expenses such as co-pays, co-pays, deductibles and other costs associated with Medicare Advantage plans
2. Covers additional services not covered by Medicare, such as nursing home care beyond the 100-day limit of each benefit period, and vision, hearing, and prescription drug coverage.
3. Paying for services for the elderly, such as home nursing, or paying a spouse or relative for a caregiver

What Medicaid Covers for Seniors

There are differences between what Medicare and Medicaid cover. While Medicare provides basic coverage for things like hospitalizations and doctor visits, there are gaps in coverage. Medicaid can work to provide greater access to medical care and support services for seniors.

Although Medicaid is administered by each individual state, each state program must follow general federal guidelines. Every state must cover mandatory services that benefit people of all ages, but here we’ll focus on those that support seniors, including:

• Home health services
• Hospital and outpatient services
• Laboratory and X-ray services
• A long-term care facility remains, like a nursing home
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Doctor’s services
• Rural health center services
• Transport to hospital

In Minnesota, Medicaid is called Medical Assistance, and it provides all of the above, plus the following (among others), which may be important to seniors:

• Chiropractic treatment
• Dental services
• Doctor and clinic visits
• Emergency care
• Hearing aids
• Domiciliary care
• Terminal care
• Vaccinations and vaccines
• Interpretation services
• Medical equipment and supplies
• Medical transportation in both emergency and non-emergency cases
• Mental and behavioral health services
• Nursing home care
• Optical treatment
• Outpatient surgery
• Rehabilitation therapy
• Some prescription drug coverage
• Telemedicine services
• Urgent treatment

Dual eligibility at age 65

When you turn 65, you don’t have to choose between the programs if you meet both. You can choose the Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP). These plans are offered through private health care companies and coordinate both Medicare and Medicaid benefits to maximize care.

Benefits of D-SNP include lower cost of coverage, care coordination to help you keep your plan on track, and additional benefits you don’t get through Medicare alone.

In Minnesota, D-SNP is called Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO). MSHO combines Medical Assistance and Medicare to provide coverage for seniors in Minnesota.

You can get information from:

Does Medicaid cover all medical expenses?

While Medicaid doesn’t cover everything, it can help bridge the gap between what Medicare does and doesn’t cover, including helping pay Medicare premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs.

What Medicaid Doesn’t Cover for Seniors

What Medicaid doesn’t cover varies from state to state, but common things that aren’t usually covered include:

• Dental services that are considered cosmetic or not medically necessary
• Elective surgical procedures
• Over-the-counter (OTC) medications
• Non-emergency transportation (in Minnesota, however, this is covered by MSHO)
• Supplements, vitamins and herbal preparations

There are also certain things that MSHO plans do not cover, including:

• Investigational or experimental drugs or devices
• Medical cannabis
• Medicines used for erectile dysfunction or weight loss
• Delayed medical appointments

Medicaid application process for elderly parents

As a caregiver, you may need to help parents apply for Medicaid. In some cases, you can know before you apply that they are eligible. For example, if they already receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), they automatically qualify.

In other situations, it may help to talk to an expert, such as an elder law attorney or a Medicaid planning professional. Since Medicaid eligibility varies from state to state, so does the documentation required to apply. An expert can help you get your documents in order and help you understand your state’s income and asset requirements.

Understanding Medicaid Eligibility for Elderly Residents

In most cases, you must wait until age 65 to sign up for Medicare. There is no age requirement for Medicaid, so you can look at your individual situation to determine if you qualify for Medicaid.

Because Medicaid is funded by both the federal government and individual states, your eligibility largely depends on the state you live in. No matter where you live, you must meet three conditions before submitting an application:

• You must be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• You must live in the state where you are applying
• Your income must be at or below the federal poverty level

After that, eligibility is based on:

• Age – You are considered a senior when you are 65 years old
• Income – Social Security income, pensions and retirement plans, investment income, earned income (if you continue to work after age 65), and other sources such as public assistance programs and veterans benefits all count as income for retirees and Medicaid

From there, eligibility varies by state, but here are ways seniors can be considered eligible:

Once you’ve determined you’re eligible, you’ll need information and documentation to prove it to your state’s Medicaid agency. This may include:

• Your full name and date of birth
• Your social security number
• How much you pay per month for rent or mortgage or utilities
• Proof of citizenship or immigration status
• Proof of income, such as a W-2 or pay stub
• Confirmation of other state benefits you may receive
• Information about your insurance plans that you have had or currently have