This is often a very important concern for disability recipients since many people receiving disability benefits have lost their health insurance by the time they are approved for disability by the Social Security Administration (SSA). To learn more about SSDI, SSI, and health insurance, you can find comprehensive information in our additional articles on health care for people with disabilities.Many people who are approved to receive Social Security disability benefits want to know whether or not they will also receive health insurance. In a handful of states, Medicaid coverage isn't guaranteed, but most people who get SSI are eligible. Some states have separate applications for SSI and Medicaid, so you may need to submit an additional application for Medicaid. Because SSI and Medicaid are administered by your state's health department, each state has different procedures on enrollment. You might need to jump through some bureaucratic hoops to begin your Medicaid coverage, however. In many states, an application for SSI doubles as an application for Medicaid, so if you've been awarded SSI benefits you can start getting medical insurance right away. SSI recipients don't need to wait 24 months to access health insurance. The SSA will deduct your premiums from your monthly benefit check, but if you don't want Medicare, you can opt out. Keep in mind that even though you're eligible for Medicare, you'll need to pay premiums just as you would for private health insurance. (Broadly, your entitlement date is five months after your disability onset.) Check your award letter for the month and year when your entitlement began-if it's more than two years before the date of your award notice, you won't need to go through the waiting period before you can start receiving Medicare. Social Security starts the clock on the waiting period according to your "date of entitlement," the date that the agency begins to owe you money. Originally intended as a cost-saving measure, this waiting period might leave a gap in your insurance if you aren't otherwise covered. If you were approved for SSDI benefits, your health insurance (Medicare) won't kick in until 24 months after you first became eligible to receive disability benefits. And depending on the date your disability started, you might have to wait before Social Security gives you the green light to enroll. Not typically-even though you qualify for health insurance, it's likely that you'll have to go through additional administrative steps before you're officially covered. Your Social Security award letter will let you know which you qualify for in the section labeled "Information About Medicare" or "Information About Medicaid." Am I Enrolled in Medical Insurance With SSDI or SSI After Approval? The type of program you're approved for depends on your work history and your resource amount.īoth SSDI and SSI offer health insurance-SSDI recipients can get Medicare, and SSI recipients can get Medicaid. What most people think of as "Social Security disability" is actually two programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). What Kind of Health Insurance Comes With Social Security Disability? If you've received a notice of award from Social Security, the letter should contain a section discussing your eligibility for medical insurance. But another, lesser-known benefit available from the SSA is access to health insurance, in the form of Medicare or Medicaid. Many people are aware that the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides cash payments for people with disabilities that prevent them from working.
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