The Human Resources Administration’s Medical Assistance Program can assist New Yorkers who qualify in enrolling in public health insurance programs such as Medicaid.

People over the age of 65, people with disabilities, and people who are blind can apply to the HRA. People who are receiving Medicare but are neither a parent or a caring relative of minor children, and former foster youth under the age of 26 can also apply for this program.

The Human Resources Administration’s Medical Assistance Program can assist New Yorkers who qualify in enrolling in public health insurance programs such as Medicaid.

People over the age of 65, people with disabilities, and people who are blind can apply to the HRA. People who are receiving Medicare but are neither a parent or a caring relative of minor children, and former foster youth under the age of 26 can also apply for this program.

Enrolling in Medicaid is a simple process, and at AC Cares, we can assist you in getting started on the path toward receiving treatment as soon as possible, beginning with your Medicaid application and moving on from there. To complete the application, you will need your personal papers, such as your birth certificate; proof of where you live, such as a rent receipt or utility bill; proof of income, such as a Social Security check; and proof of your financial resources, such as bank records. The evidence of your impairment will be required, and many of the same documents that were needed to establish your OPWDD status may be utilized to offer this evidence.

However, even though Medicaid is a federally administered program, states have the authority and independence to select the manner in which services are given. Medicaid covers both mandatory services, which are those that states are required to offer under federal law, and optional services, which are those that are not required to be provided under federal law. The services covered by required benefits include inpatient and outpatient hospitalization, physician services, diagnostic laboratory and x-ray services, as well as home health care services, as well as pediatric home care, to name a few examples. Various services such as prescription medications, case management, physical therapy rehabilitation, and occupational therapy rehabilitation are accessible as optional benefits.

A federal waiver is required in order to deliver home and community-based services (HCBS), which are optional services that can only be supplied in certain circumstances. Because home and community-based services (HCBS) are optional or waivered services in many jurisdictions, there are frequently long waiting lists for those who want to receive Medicaid-funded community-based supports and services. It is a top priority for Congress to eliminate institutionalized discrimination from government programs, reduce waiting lists, and improve the right of all people to live a full life in their communities.

Despite the fact that Medicaid is only available to those with limited income and assets, once an individual with disabilities reaches the age of 18, family assets are no longer taken into consideration, making Medicaid a critical consideration in all special needs estate planning situations, regardless of their income or assets.

Applying for Medicaid

There are several methods to apply for Medicaid benefits if you are not currently a member of the program.

OPWDD’s
Front Door
staff will explain the Medicaid application process to you and will either provide you with information about Care Coordination Organizations that you can choose from to assist you or will connect you with a Family Support Services agency that will assist you in gathering the materials you need and submitting your Medicaid application.

You can also submit an application directly to Medicaid. Personal documents such as your birth certificate, as well as proof of where you reside (such as a rent receipt or utility bill), proof of income (such as a Social Security check), and proof of your financial resources (such as bank records) are required in order to submit an application. You will require proof of disability, which may be provided by many of the same papers that were used to establish your OPWDD status. You can submit your application to the Medicaid office in your county.

You can seek an application for Medicaid by phone, mail, or in person through your local department of social services, or you can contact a Facilitated Enroller who will assist you with the process. A Facilitated Enroller is a member of the community who has received special training to assist with Medicaid applications. If a Facilitated Enroller has more convenient hours or a more convenient location than the local Department of Social Services, this may be an option. They are ready to assist you with your Medicaid application, but you are not required to utilize a Facilitated Enroller in order to apply for Medicaid.

It’s possible that the staff at your existing community services organization will be able to assist you with the Medicaid application process if you presently work with them. The organization can assist you with completing the Medicaid application and explaining what documentation will be required.

Children's Medicaid or Child Health Plus

Applicants for Children’s Medicaid or Child Health Plus must be less than 19 years of age and residents of New York State in order to be considered for the programs. In order for a kid to qualify for Medicaid or Child Health Plus, the family’s gross annual income must be determined. Children who are not eligible for Medicaid but who do not have health insurance and who are not eligible for coverage under the state’s public employees’ health benefits plan can enroll in Child Health Plus if they do not already have health insurance and are not eligible for coverage under the state’s public employees’ health benefits plan.

Children’s Medicaid may require you to enroll your kid in a managed care plan, but you are free to take your child to any provider that accepts Children’s Medicaid if your child is enrolled in the program. If your kid is registered in Child Health Plus, you will be provided a list of providers who are close to your home or workplace. A single doctor, a group practice of numerous doctors, or a community health center can serve as the provider. If your kid is being seen by a group practice, you will be asked to select a doctor for him or her. Regardless of whatever option you choose, you will receive the customized health care that your kid deserves!

Providing for the well-being of children includes:

  • Exams on the physical body
  • Treatment of disease and injury; vaccinations; diagnosis and treatment
  • X-rays and laboratory examinations
  • Outpatient surgery is a type of surgery that takes place outside of the hospital.
  • Medical attention in an emergency
  • Medications, both prescription and non-prescription, if ordered
  • Medical or surgical treatment provided in an inpatient hospital setting.
  • Outpatient therapeutic therapies for a short period of time (chemotherapy, hemodialysis)
  • Therapy for alcoholism and substance addiction, as well as treatment for mental illness, is available both inpatient and outpatient.
  • Dental care is very important.
  • Care for one’s vision
  • Speech and hearing are two important senses.
  • Medical equipment that is long-lasting
  • Transport to a hospital by ambulance in an emergency situation
  • Hospice