Following a stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord injury, it may be necessary to see if you or a loved one are eligible for Medicaid benefits.
What is Medicaid?
Medicaid, founded in 1965, is similar though different to another federal program, Medicare. Under the latter, coverage is granted either on an age basis, with recipients being 65 years or older, or by meeting disability requirements. For Medicaid, the conditions of coverage is set by income level and disabilities. The process to apply for Medicaid varies depending on the state of residence. An individual can apply even if they already have health insurance. Some states have an expanded type of Medicaid coverage from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), with adults in Nebraska 19 years or older being able to qualify if their income level is at or below 138% of the federal poverty level. Coverage may also extend through waivers for home and community-based living programs. These include aged and disabled, developmental disability, and traumatic brain injury waivers. To qualify for such waivers, individuals in the state of Nebraska have to be eligible for Medicaid, have a need for the waiver services, and meet the outlined Nursing Facility Level of Care.
What is Covered?
Various services are covered under Medicaid but vary from state to state. For Nebraska, home health agency services, physician and nurse practitioner services, and various other services and waivers allocated to a specific disability (such as a traumatic brain injury) are covered. The application process can take a considerable amount of time, and requires providing facts such as Social Security number, income and household status, disability status, citizenship or immigration status, etc.
Where Can I Apply?
The following are resources for searching for benefits for states in the Midwest, and for applying for Medicaid:
Nebraska:
Kansas:
Missouri:
Iowa:
South Dakota:
Colorado:
Wyoming:
For more on how QLI’s team members work to help individuals meet and gain benefit support, click here.