Where Can Medicare Beneficiaries Get Help In Alabama
State Health Insurance Assistance Program
Free volunteer Medicare counseling is available through Alabamas State Health Insurance Assistance Program at 800-AGELINE . The SHIP is part of the Alabama Department of Senior Services and sponsored by the federal government.
SHIPs can help beneficiaries enroll in Medicare, compare and change Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, and answer questions about state Medigap protections. They may also be able to offer referrals to local agencies for services like home care and long-term care. This website has more information about the SHIP in Alabama.
Elder Law Attorneys
Elder law attorneys can help individuals plan for Medicaid long-term care benefits. Use this search feature from the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys to find local legal help.
If you are low-income, you may qualify to receive legal help with Medicaid issues from Legal Services Alabama.
Area Agencies on Aging
Area Agencies on Aging can provide information about benefits and services available to older adults and people with disabilities. This website lists AAAs in each region in Alabama.
Where can I apply for Medicaid in Alabama?
The Alabama Medicaid program is administered by the Alabama Department of Public Health. You can find more information about applying for Medicaid or an MSP in Alabama by visiting this website or calling 800-362-1504.
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Unitedhealthcare Connected For Mycare Ohio
UnitedHealthcare Connected® for MyCare Ohio is a health plan that contracts with both Medicare and Ohio Medicaid to provide benefits of both programs to enrollees. If you have any problem reading or understanding this or any other UnitedHealthcare Connected® for MyCare Ohio information, please contact our Member Services at from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday for help at no cost to you.
Si tiene problemas para leer o comprender esta o cualquier otra documentación de UnitedHealthcare Connected® de MyCare Ohio , comuníquese con nuestro Departamento de Servicio al Cliente para obtener información adicional sin costo para usted al de lunes a viernes de 7 a.m. a 8 p.m. .
This is not a complete list. The benefit information is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact the plan or read the Member Handbook. Limitations, copays, and restrictions may apply. For more information, call UnitedHealthcare Connected Member Services or read the UnitedHealthcare Connected Member Handbook. Benefits, List of Covered Drugs, pharmacy and provider networks and/or copayments may change from time to time throughout the year and on January 1 of each year.
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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What Are The Income Requirements To Qualify For Medicaid In Alabama
Basically the person going on Medicaid needs to have an income of around $2000 or less. If the income is higher than this, then what is known as a Miller Trust or Qualified Income Trust can be set up that puts the excess money towards the cost of care. This is so someone who makes, for example, $3,000 a month, will still be able to qualify for Alabama Medicaid.
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 Karens death, Medicaid seeks reimbursement for all medical expenses it covered for Andrew.
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Alabama Food Assistance Program #
The aim of Food Assistance Program is to alleviate hunger and improve nutrition by providing monthly cash benefits to eligible low income Alabamians to help them buy the food they need for good health.
To apply for food assistance benefits online, please visit MyAlabama.gov the online application portal for Alabamas public assistance. Before you can complete the application, you must first register for an account.
Once youre accepted into the program, you will receive an electronic EBT card that is preloaded monthly with cash benefits and is used, like a debit card, to purchase eligible food from local grocery stores.
Families with children under 6 years old who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program also qualify for P-EBT. No application is needed.
All Kids Insurance For Children
Access to healthcare is vital. Children need to be healthy to reach their full potential. To stay healthy, children need to have regular checkups, vision and dental care, and get medical attention if they get sick or injured.
ALL Kids is a low-cost, comprehensive healthcare coverage program for children under age 19. Benefits include regular checkups and immunizations, sick child doctor visits, prescriptions, vision and dental care, hospitalization, mental health and substance abuse services, and much more.
ALL Kids uses Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama to provide medical, and mental health and substance abuse services through their preferred provider network . Find a provider now.
What Do You Want To Do?
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Childrens Health Insurance Program
The Childrens Health Insurance Program is a public healthcare program for low-income children who are ineligible for Medicaid. CHIP and Medicaid are related programs, and the former builds on Medicaids coverage of children. States may run CHIP as an extension of Medicaid, as a separate program, or as a combination of both. Like Medicaid, CHIP is financed by both the states and the federal government, and states retain general flexibility in the administration of its benefits.
CHIP is available specifically for children whose families make too much to qualify for Medicaid, meaning they must earn incomes above 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or $33,948 for a family of four in 2017. Upper income limits for eligibility for CHIP vary by state, from 175 percent of the federal poverty level in North Dakota to 405 percent of the FPL in New York. States have greater flexibility in designing their CHIP programs than with Medicaid. For instance, fewer benefits are required to be covered under CHIP. States can also charge a monthly premium and require cost sharing, such as copayments, for some services the total cost of premiums and cost sharing may be no more than 5 percent of a familys annual income. As of January 2017, 14 states charged only premiums to CHIP enrollees, while nine states required only cost sharing. Sixteen states required both premiums and cost sharing. Eleven states did not require either premiums or cost sharing.
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.
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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:
Alabama Medicaid Agency: Apply For Medicaid
Recently, more than 1 million Alabama citizens qualified for Medicaid benefits through a variety of programs for children, families and pregnant women as well as for elderly and/or disabled people. Each Medicaid program has its own requirements you must meet in order to qualify for benefits. All programs have income requirements. Some programs also have age requirements or are limited to certain groups such as pregnant women or people who also have Medicare.
Ages served:Languages spoken:Contact info:
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Medicare Eligibility In Alabama
Your search for affordable Health, Medicare and Life insurance starts here.
Call us 24/7 at or Find an Agent near you.
Being covered by Medicare can be a huge relief to enrollees after they become eligible. Medicare eligibility in Alabama means that youll have affordable coverage to help pay for your healthcare needs. In 2020, over 61 million citizens of Alabama were Medicare beneficiaries.1
Are you eligible to receive Medicare coverage?
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.
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Unitedhealthcare Connected General Benefit Disclaimer
This is not a complete list. The benefit information is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact the plan or read the Member Handbook. Limitations, copays and restrictions may apply. For more information, call UnitedHealthcare Connected® Member Services or read the UnitedHealthcare Connected® Member Handbook. Benefits, List of Covered Drugs, pharmacy and provider networks and/or copayments may change from time to time throughout the year and on January 1 of each year.
You can get this document for free in other formats, such as large print, braille, or audio. Call Member Services, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., local time, Monday – Friday . The call is free.
You can call Member Services and ask us to make a note in our system that you would like materials in Spanish, large print, braille, or audio now and in the future.
Language Line is available for all in-network providers.
Puede obtener este documento de forma gratuita en otros formatos, como letra de imprenta grande, braille o audio. Llame al Servicios para los miembros, de 08:00 a. m. a 08:00 p. m., hora local, de lunes a viernes correo de voz disponible las 24 horas del día,/los 7 días de la semana). La llamada es gratuita.
Puede llamar a Servicios para Miembros y pedirnos que registremos en nuestro sistema que le gustaría recibir documentos en español, en letra de imprenta grande, braille o audio, ahora y en el futuro.
What Is The Difference In Medicare And Alabama Medicaid
Medicare is a federal program that pays for certain medical care for eligible people. Medicare does not pay for long term care such as nursing home care. It can pay for temporary care in a rehabilitation/long term nursing home facility but the benefits quickly run out.
Alabama Medicaid, on the other hand, will pay for all of the cost of nursing home for those who qualify as will be discussed below.
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How The Affordable Care Act Has Affected Medicaid Acceptance
Since the ACA has been in effect, approximately 46 percent of uninsured non-elderly Alabamians have met Medicaid eligibility requirements. Three in ten qualify for premium tax credits to aid them in acquiring Medicaid coverage. Additionally, 74 percent of uninsured Alabamians are children. 191,000 total uninsured adult recipients lack funding for health coverage in the state.
One of the goals of the ACA is to expand coverage. Alabama citizens are encouraged to focus on Medicaid application guidelines as a way of lowering the states uninsured rate. Lack of knowledge on the subject is the main reason why state residents are not enrolled in the program. The state has a more streamlined acceptance process in place now, and coverage naturally depends on which qualification pathway is taken.
Why Is It Controversial
In the first years after the ACA passed, Alabamas conservative leaders balked at the potential cost and questioned the constitutionality of the federal legislation dictating how a state ran its healthcare programs.
In recent years, though, Medicaid expansion has lost much of its stigma. A recent poll from expansion advocates showed two-thirds of respondents supported expansion. More than 100 Alabama organizations, including the state hospital association and medical association, have grown more vocal in their support of Medicaid expansion, saying it could insure an additional 284,000 Alabamians, create more jobs, reduce reliance on emergency rooms for basic healthcare, and improve the states poor health outcomes.
Even Republican former Gov. Robert Bentley, who refused to expand Medicaid while he was in office, recently called on Gov. Kay Ivey to move forward with expansion.
Although few Alabama leaders outright oppose expansion now, the ones who express skepticism continue to question how Alabama would pay for it.
A study released this year projected that Medicaid expansion would cost Alabama an additional $225.4 million over the next six years, but could save the state an estimated $398 million.
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Is Medicaid Available In Alabama
We expect that more than 1.1 million Alabama citizens will qualify for Medicaid benefits in 2020 under various programs, including children, family members, pregnant women, seniors, and the disabled. Applicants must meet specific requirements depending on whether they participate in a Medicaid program.
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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.
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Alabamas New Budget To Extend Medicaid Coverage For Mothers After Childbirth
Women in Alabama who qualify for Medicaid during pregnancy will have coverage for a year after giving birth under the states new budget, an extension of the coverage that has ended after 60 days.
The General Fund budget Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law two weeks ago includes $4 million to extend the postpartum coverage for Medicaid. A total of $8.5 million will be applied to the extension, including funds the Alabama Medicaid Agency previously designated.
The extension is a one-year pilot program. Lawmakers want the Medicaid Agency to review the costs, use of the services, and health outcomes to determine if it will be continued.
Advocates who supported the extension expect it to save lives in Alabama, where Medicaid pays for about about 30,000 births per year, about one-half of births in the state.
Mothers die from complications from pregnancy and childbirth in Alabama at more than twice the national rate, according to the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2018, Alabamas rate was 36.4 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The national rate was 17.4. Arkansas and Kentucky were the only states with higher rates than Alabama.
Alabama follows neighboring states Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee in extending postpartum coverage. Congress streamlined the extension process as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, the COVID-19 relief package approved last year.
