How to Apply for Medicaid

To apply for Medicaid you need to contact your local social services department and show proof of your financial need for this assistance.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Understand that Medicaid is a state-run program that provides medical insurance for low-income people. Each state has different eligibility requirements and different application procedures.

2. Know that if you receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) from the Social Security Administration, you will probably qualify for Medicaid.

3. Recognize that there have been recent limits placed on this program at the federal level, so the benefits are not as wide as they used to be.

4. Contact your local state Department of Social Services or Human Services. Your state may have a different name for this agency. It is the agency that provides food stamps and financial assistance. Call your county building and ask for the name of it if you don't know it.

5. Ask for a Medicaid application. You will need to complete it in the office.

6. Take your birth certificate, driver's license, pay stubs, Social Security card, proof of address, proof of other insurance if you have it and information about any bank accounts you have.

7. Be prepared to answer questions about your finances. Eligibility is based on your income level.

8. Ask office personnel for assistance if you do not know how to complete the form.

9. Request assistance at home if you would like to apply but are unable to leave home.

Tips & Warnings

• Be honest in the facts you present. Medicaid fraud is a hot issue.
• Contact an elder law attorney if you are doing Medicaid planning in the event you need to go to a nursing home. This is a very complicated area of law and you need quality legal assistance to ensure that you take full advantage of the law without doing anything illegal.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.

[deborah1965]

on 8/1/2009 la. is so backwards on this medicaid thing. you won't help the older people cause they're not preg. or have a minor child at home but you'll help the younger people that aren't sick and have jobs. i am 43 i have no job, i have a heart cond. (p.e.) arthritis, severe anemic ect... but i dot not meet the qualifications because i'm not pg or disabled in ya'lls eyes. we can't afford priv. ins. my husband is disabled but he gets it thank god. i barley can pay my doc. much less buy my 12 bottles of medication i have to have every mth. and obamah said he was gonna help us? yeah right (when)after half of us have passed away from not being able to get the help and meds we need from our docs? where do people like me go for help? am i the only one in this situation?

[KRLawrence]

on 5/4/2009 This article is really lacking a lot of information.

[ganso2]

on 12/2/2008 im 19 yrs old, make 10 an hr, college student and im pregnant. i live with my boyfriend and im trying to apply for medicaid. is there a chance i could get denied due to his income?

[anonymous1]

on 10/23/2008 I am 23 yrs old and have no insurance ,and i wish to apply for medicaid ,i am having thyroid and female issues
medicine and need medicines that i can not afford,would i be eligible!I am not working at this time.Thank you

[Anonymons]

on 9/4/2008 I am pregnant and applied for medicaid it was given to me and then turned off for no reason and I wanted to know will it be turned back on anytime soon,because my caseworker said that it should not be off but when I went 2 the doctor they said it was inactive and I want 2 know why is that.