How Do I Apply For Medicaid In Alabama

Unitedhealthcare Senior Care Options Plan

UnitedHealthcare SCO is a Coordinated Care plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Medicaid program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plans contract renewal with Medicare. This plan is a voluntary program that is available to anyone 65 and older who qualifies for MassHealth Standard and Original Medicare. If you have MassHealth Standard, but you do not qualify for Original Medicare, you may still be eligible to enroll in our MassHealth Senior Care Option plan and receive all of your MassHealth benefits through our SCO program.

How Do People Qualify For Medicaid Coverage In Alabama

When an individual or family applies for Medicaid, a number of factors determine whether theyre eligible and which program would best serve their needs. Age, income, family size and certain health conditions like pregnancy or disability all play a part.

The household income limit for a particular program is expressed as a percentage of the federal poverty level often in shortened form, such as 146% of poverty. The higher the percentage, the more income an individual or family may have and still qualify for Medicaid.

The income limits for Alabama Medicaids eligibility groups are shown below. In 2020, the FPL was $12,760 for an individual and $26,200 for a family of four.

What You Need To Know

• Medicaid is a joint federal/state program providing health coverage for certain categories of people with low incomes and limited resources.
• More than 1.2 million Alabamians qualify for Medicaid coverage.
• Medicaid payments support doctors offices, hospitals, clinics and nursing homes that serve all Alabamians.
• Children make up more than half of Alabama Medicaid beneficiaries.
• Medicaid also provides essential coverage for seniors, pregnant women, and people with disabilities.
• Alabama Medicaids eligibility limits are among the nations most restrictive.

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Medicaid Expansion In Alabama: A Voters Guide

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and other congressional Democrats hold a press conference about Medicaid expansion in September 2021.

This story was originally published in Reckon.

In April of 2022, Reckon and partners including Essential Partners, Cortico, and Bridge Alliance, hosted conversations with Alabamians under 40 about the future of their state for a project called Bridge Alabama. This guide focuses on an issue raised in those conversations.

How To Apply / Learn More

The Elderly & Disabled Medicaid waiver is available statewide throughout Alabama. However, it is not an entitlement, like Medicaids nursing home benefits. This means that even if one meets all of the eligibility requirements of the E & D waiver, they still might not be able to receive services. There are a limited number of participant slots available , so in some areas, there may be waiting lists for services. To learn more, download the rules and regulations here.

One can apply online for Medicaid in Alabama or by contacting their local Area Agency on Aging. To apply specifically for this waiver, persons who are already enrolled in Medicaid can call 1-800-AGE-LINE or 1-800-243-5463.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Health , it is expected that the Alabama elderly population will grow over 82% between the years 2010 and 2040.

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What Is Alabama Medicaid Number

Alabama Medicaid number where you can call and speak to Alabama state health care agent regarding Alabama Medicaid Application is .

Alabama Medicaid hours of operation regarding Alabama Medicaid Application are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30pm, but the best calling hours for Alabama Medicaid to call regarding Alabama Medicaid Application are 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Hearing And Cochlear Implants

Those between the ages of 5 and 21 can get one Medicaid-covered hearing screening each year. If you find that you or your child needs a cochlear implant, youll need to have a surgeon sign this authorization form. In most cases, hearing services and hearing aids are not covered for adults. This is a circumstance where those who are eligible for Medicare will want to invest in a Medicare Advantage policy.

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How To Apply For Medicaid

Enter your zip code to get started.

Alabama Medicaid is a program that was initiated by the state of Alabama and the federal government to provide a range of services to families and individuals with low income. This is achieved by providing these individuals with affordable services and feasible payment plans.

Some of the primary services offered by Alabama Medicaid include:

Other services include:

The basic eligibility requirements for individuals interested in the Alabama Medicaid program include:

• An Alabama resident.
• A US citizen or a legal alien.

Additional requirements include:

• Low income families according to the State’s 1996 AFDC plan.
• Children between the ages of 6-19 whose family income is up to 100% of the federal poverty level, in foster care, or custody of Dept. of Youth services.
• Infants whose mothers are Medicaid eligible.
• Special protected groups.

What Is Alabama Medicaid

Medicaid is a joint federal-state support program for people who need health insurance but have limited ability to pay for it. Medicaid in Alabama provides support for nearly 1 million state residents, mainly on the basis of financial and medical need. Alabama Medicaid makes use of a statewide network of healthcare providers, including several HMO and PPO systems, to give beneficiaries the widest possible access to care.

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Renal Dialysis For Kidney Failure

For those with kidney failure, AL Medicaid will cover 156 yearly outpatient dialysis treatments per year, which amounts to three per week. Keep in mind that if you are diagnosed with kidney failure , you will also qualify for Medicare! That means that you can get double the benefits with a D-SNP, or Dual Special Needs Plan.

Alabama Has Not Accepted Federal Medicaid Expansion

• 1,034,994 Number of Alabamans covered by Medicaid/CHIP as of May 2021
• 340,000 Number of additional Alabama residents who would be covered if the state accepted expansion
• 127,000 Number of people who have NO realistic access to health insurance without Medicaid expansion
• Over $2 billion Federal money Alabama is leaving on the table in 2022 by not expanding Medicaid

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Unitedhealthcare Dual Complete Plans

Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a contract with the State Medicaid Program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plans contract renewal with Medicare. This plan is available to anyone who has both Medical Assistance from the State and Medicare. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Call TTY 711 for more information. Limitations, co-payments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits, premiums and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year.

Who Is Eligible For Medicaid In Alabama

To qualify for federal Medicaid funding, states are required to cover low-income children, pregnant women, parents of minor children, elderly people, and people with disabilities. Coverage for additional groups is optional, with the state receiving additional funding for the groups it elect to include in its program.

The federal government sets baseline eligibility levels, which states can adjust upwards. The income limits vary widely by category and by state.

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The Alabama Medicaid Agency Has Three Main Programs For The Elderly And Disabled:

• Medicaid for institutional care is used for nursing homes, hospitals, and ICF-MR facilities.
• Home and community based waivers are for the elderly, disabled, homebound, mentally handicap, or those who have certain diagnoses and live in the community.
• SSI Related Medicaid programs are for people no longer receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, but have their Medicaid benefits protected under certain laws.

Could My Estate Be Excused From Repaying If It Would Cause Hardship For My Family

In Alabama, your estate may not owe anything to Medicaid if repayment would create “undue hardship” for your family. The Alabama Medicaid Recovery agency will allow a hardship exemption if either of the following is true:

• An inheritor’s household assets do not exceed $10,000, and the inheritor’s annual household income is less than twice the federal poverty level .
• The estate property has been the site of a family ranch, farm, or other family business for at least a year before your death, and that business is the primary source of an inheritor’s income.

Medicaid must inform the person in charge of your estate that someone who inherits from you may apply for a hardship waiver under the conditions above. The inheritor then has 30 days to apply for a waiver. If the application is approved, that inheritor’s portion of the repayment will be forgiven.

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Funding From Bp Oil Spill Settlement

Alabamas Medicaid program had been facing an $85 million shortfall in the states 2016 budget. Governor Bentley of the legislature in August 2016 to address the issue lawmakers were considering a state lottery or the possibility of using money from the BP oil spill settlement to shore up Medicaid funding.

Ultimately, lawmakers settled on funneling $120 million of states $1 billion BP settlement to the Medicaid program over the next two years, solving the problem in the short-term. But there was still a long-term problem, as the oil spill settlement funding solution only lasted for two years.

How Does Medicaid Funding Work

The federal government pays at least half of each states Medicaid costs. The percentage is set annually through a complicated formula based on per capita income. The lower the states per capita income, the higher the FMAP, up to a maximum 83%. Alabamas FMAP for FY 2021 will be 72.58%. This means we get roughly $7 in federal money for every $3 Alabama pays for Medicaid. Alabama Medicaids total annual budget is about $7 billion.

State money for Medicaid comes from a number of sources, including the General Fund , special trust funds, and transfer payments from public hospitals. Because the revenues earmarked for the GF come from minor taxes, fees and interest payments that grow slowly, Medicaid and other GF services remain permanently shortchanged.

How does Alabamas Medicaid investment compare?

One simple way to compare Medicaid programs across states is to rank their spending per enrollee in major Medicaid eligibility groups. Spending is only one factor in the delivery of care, but it does indicate the investment that the state is willing to make in the health of residents with low incomes. Heres how Alabama measures up on that count:

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Important Information To Successfully Submit Your Application Form

To fill out the Mississippi Medicaid Application, please follow the steps below:

Note: If you open and fill out the application in your browser, the processing of your application may be delayed.Apply online at HealthCare.govDirect application through Mississippi MedicaidApplication for insurance affordability options and Medicaid, if eligibleDirect application for Mississippi MedicaidApplication is routed through Healthcare.gov websiteInitially handled on a local, state levelInitially handled on a national level

• Applications are reviewed by state staff.
• Eligibility assessment and determination is approved or denied.
• If determined applicant is not eligible for Mississippi Medicaid, applications are automatically referred to the FFM.

For HealthCare.gov applications:

• Applications are evaluated through the Healthcare.gov website.
• Applications are assessed for potential Medicaid eligibility. If potentially eligible, then applications are transferred to the state to determine eligibility.
• If not potentially eligible for Medicaid, applicants view other insurance affordability program options on Healthcare.gov.

Fax or Postal Mail

Will Alabama Seek Reimbursement From My Estate

The assets you own at your death make up your “estate.” Medicaid will seek reimbursement from your estate if any of the following was true:

• you received Medicaid assistance after the age of 55
• at any age, you received Medicaid assistance when you lived in a nursing home, Intermediate Care Facility for the Intellectually Disabled, or other long-term care institution, or
• at any age, you received Medicaid assistance while you were the beneficiary of a special needs trust — that is, a trust that holds assets for someone who receives Social Security disability to preserve their eligibility for government assistance.

Example 1: Ellen has been receiving Medicaid assistance since she was 40. When she dies at age 60, Medicaid will seek reimbursement for the benefits given Ellen from the day she turned 55 until her death.

Example 2: When Andrew becomes severely disabled at 52, his wife, Karen, moves him to a facility where he can get the long-term care he needs. He receives Medicaid assistance from the date of his disability. Andrew dies at age 60, and Karen at age 71. After Karen’s death, Medicaid seeks reimbursement for all medical expenses it covered for Andrew.

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What Is The Difference Between Alabama Medicaid And Medicare

Medicaid and Medicare are two different healthcare programs with different functions and beneficiaries.Medicaid is managed by states and is based on the individual income while Medicare is managed by the federal government and is mainly based on age. Medicare has special circumstances, like certain disabilities, that may allow younger people to get to health program.

Watch this video to learn more about Medicaid, Medicare, and the difference between them:

Bentley Administration Received Approval To Overhaul Alabama Medicaid But Ivey Administration Abandoned The Changes Before They Took Effect

In May 2014, Alabama submitted a Section 1115 demonstration waiver proposal to CMS, called Alabama Medicaid Transformation. The proposal called for Medicaid funds to be distributed on a per-patient basis to regional care organizations , most of which would be affiliated with local hospitals. The concept was that the RCOs could use preventive care and early interventions to keep patients out of the hospital. RCOs that spent less than their per-patient allocation could keep the leftover funds, while those that spent more would have to cover the excess cost themselves.

Since Alabama has not expanded Medicaid, the population slated to be impacted by the new 1115 waiver was mostly pregnant women, children, disabled individuals, and nursing home patients.

In February 2016, CMS approved Alabamas section 1115 waiver, with the agreement that the federal government would contribute $328 million over three years to fund the transformation process, with the potential to secure another $470 million to supplement payments to RCOs . Some conditions of the approval included a requirement that the RCO model would not cost the federal government any more than the fee-for-service Medicaid program, along with a requirement that children and pregnant women receive more check-ups, and that Medicaid beneficiaries experience fewer hospitalizations.

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Alabama Medicaid Long Term Care Programs

Alabama is an income cap state, meaning that in order to be eligible for Medicaid long term care benefits there is a hard income limit. Non income cap states allow applicants to spend down money for their care, whereas income cap states require the amount to be no higher than their limit at time of application.

Alabama Medicaid Eligibility Checklist

There are seven Alabama Medicaid eligibility categories: Children, Parents and Caretaker Relatives, Pregnant Women, Elderly and Disabled, Nursing Home residents, Breast and Cervical Cancer, and Family Planning.

To qualify for any of the categories, you must be an Alabama resident and either a U.S. citizen or in satisfactory immigration status. You must also meet the income requirements according to the Federal Poverty Level as well as the resource requirements. Resources refer to cash, life insurance value, checking and savings accounts, loans, mortgages, real estate, stock and bonds, etc. Do you qualify for any of the listed categories?*

*All numbers reflect 2019 Alabama Medicaid eligibility requirements and are subject to change each year.

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How To Apply For Mississippi Medicaid Health Benefits

Online

Mississippis Common Web Portal at Access.ms.gov is a convenient way to apply for children, pregnant women, low-income parents of children under age 18 and anyone else who needs to apply. Documents can be uploaded and sent electronically with your application to the Medicaid Regional Office serving your county of residence. Medicaid Specialists in the Regional Office check available electronic sources to verify as much information as possible and then follow-up if additional information is needed. NOTE: If you want to apply for Medicaid due to age, blindness or disability on Access.ms.gov, be sure to check YES to a limiting or disabling condition when those questions appear in the application flow. This lets us know you are asking for a Medicaid decision that considers age, blindness or disability as a condition of your eligibility.

The Mississippi Division of Medicaid and the federally facilitated marketplace has one single application for all insurance affordability programs. Application for any of the insurance affordability programs may be filed online through Access.ms.gov or the FFM at Healthcare.gov. If you apply through Healthcare.gov, the FFM will assess your potential eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP and then return your application to the Division of Medicaid for the final eligibility decision.

To fill out this application, you will need:

How To Apply For Medicaid Online In Alabama

To apply for Medicaid online is the easiest and most popular option available in Alabama. Where do you sign up for Medicaid online? The online Medicaid application is available through Insure Alabamas AlabamaCares web portal. The first step when you apply for Medicaid online is to register an account. You must choose a username and a password, and then you will be able to access the electronic paperwork necessary to file your AL Medicaid application.

Before you get started with your application for Medicaid, collect the above information. Namely, your Social Security Number, your citizenship documents, your income statements and any current health insurance information you may have.

In addition, you must be older than 14 years of age in order to create an account on the state portal. Overall, the process should take between 30 to 45 minutes to complete.

Following the completion of your Alabama Medicaid application, you will know if you qualify for any of the Medicaid-associated health programs available in the state.

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