Re: update on medicaid and medicare


Oppportunity Knocks

Folks on SSI with categorical eligibility for medicaid and Folks on
SSDI with eligibility for medicaid through a medicaid waiver service
need to be smart in their strategy in dealing with the systems.
Many/Most also qualify for other means tested services such as food
stamps, Section 8 or other low-income housing, Low Income Energy
Assistance(LEAP), Food Banks, Employment Services, etc. All of these
programs interact with each other in determining cost of services. I
rmember in the mid 70's, I was a client of Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation in New Mexico. Since I was married with a new baby we
qualified for AFDC while I went to school under DVR. Since we were on
AFDC, we were eligible for foodstamps. The amount of foodstamps we
received was based on our countable income. Since I 'thought' we were
poor, we lived in a cheap dump. We therefore in foodstamps eyes had a
medium level of disposable income (for welfare standards) so we
received few foodstamps. I immediately went out and rented us a much
nicer place to live at 50% more monthly rent. Since rent is deducted
from income in determining countable income for foodstamps, when our
rent went up so did our foodstamps. Before, a cheaper place, more left
over money, less foodstamps. After, a nicer place, less left over
money, more foodstamps.

For folks in Section 8 housing that pay a portion of rent based on
income, as medical expenses go up (co-payments, etc) these costs are
deducted from income in determining how much they pay for rent.
Pay more medical - Pay less rent.
Pay more medical - Get more Foodstamps.
Pay more medical - qualify for LEAP

Since many of us disabled are 'dependent' on a variety of systems, all
with their own rules but almost often interactive, we got to learn the
rules and play them smartly.

For example, even Section 8 and FoodStamps have to recognize Social
Security PASS plans, one of the least used but fanciest work incentives
available for disabled folk on SSDI to set up small businesses. Invest
more in your small business leaving less $$ to live on, lower your
rent, get more foodstamps. Break even on monthly cash flow but have
capital for your business.

The cuts might be brutal - If they happen - but we don't need to add to
it by not playing the system the way Congress meant it to be played.
Lots of Medicaid folks won't be on these other programs, some should
be, many already are and need to beat up on the system.

;-)

T


Finch (evincer) VIA d'Shawnee biome esq. wrote:
>
> Text of article states: "The Congressional Budget Office estimated that
> these changes would save the federal government more than $4 billion in
> the next five years."
>
> Current monthly monetary cost of the occupation of Iraq is about five
> billion. So, by further restricting (or eliminating) access to health
> care by the poor, over a period of five years, the fed gov can save
> almost enough to pay for a month of occupying Iraq (or for death
> benefits for 50,000 at the current $100,000 per). Brilliant. I wonder
> if they looked at projected increases in emergency room services
> written off (a drag on the economy) ... or at the likely effect on life
> expectancy of people who cannot afford a five dollar copay (what with
> 'inflamation' being implicated in causation of heart disease). Let's
> not even talk about the $2.6 trillion cost of dubya's tax cuts. I can't
> believe these heartless bastards.
>
> This brings up a related subject: where are the best places in the US
> for the poor to obtain decent health care? I've read that Tampa is
> pretty good and that Massachusetts is one of the better states, but the
> news is sketchy and dated. Any input?
>
> thankee
>
> via
>
>

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