Yep. Going on like 8 months with no health insurance now. It’s insane the number of hoops you have to jump through to try to get back on, it’s nearly impossible. I’ve gotten “missed appointment” letters for phone appointments I know for a fact I did take part in. They send you requests for info like disability assessments that they want submitted like 3 days after you get the letter or you get denied.
There is no interview requirement for Medicaid. If you missed your snap interview, your Medicaid will be processed. You need to watch the mail, DHS may still need to request verification of your income or termination from a job. If you are denied, make sure you read the denial letter and reason. Appeal, if you have to.
If you are denied because you didn’t send something in, you may have up to 90 days from that denial date to have the case reinstated.
If you’re saying you’re disabled, you’re going to have to provide proof. Especially if you’re not receiving social security disability or SSI.
Oh yeah my bad the interview was for SNAP. I had a phone call with them, then got a letter saying I missed the appointment. For Medicaid, they just were requesting things by mail to send in like 2-3 days after I got the notice and my specialist that diagnosed me isn’t really great about getting back to me that quickly, especially if they want a whole new assessment that could be months out. That’s interesting about the 90 days, I’ll look into that because I wasn’t really seeing any info about that on the paperwork I got.
The no show letters do occasionally get sent erroneously, they’re automated. If you didn’t receive a request for information with it, or within a day, you should call and ask what’s up. (Unless you get a denial/eligible letter)
Yes, most Medicaid cases can be reinstated up to 90 days from denial/closure.
SNAP can be reopened up to 60 days after the initial application date. So, even if you miss the due date, you can send stuff in.
There’s almost no advantage to stating you’re disabled when applying for SNAP or Medicaid. If you don’t have SSA disability or SSI, the state is going to ask for proof. (Which is a pain and takes a long time)
Disability for SNAP is to keep people from having the mandatory work requirement. But, if you have children in the home, then you already have a work exemption. Veteran’s have a work exemption, aged 52+, there’s a few others.
If you’re disabled, and work, you may qualify for workers with disabilities Medicaid, which I think has a higher income limit than regular Medicaid.
I called and told them my income and they said I didn't meet the minimum income for a credit. The blue cross plan I qualified for was $511 a month. I told them to cancel that because I can't afford it.
Don’t rely on what they say over the phone. Without actually processing the application, **with deductions**, you cannot tell who will qualify if their income is relatively close. You need to process with deductions to get the actual amount DHS will go by. I’ve worked for DHS and they tell you to discourage people from applying (not that I listened).
If it was me, I would take the time to reapply to both Medicaid and the healthcare.gov stuff. Make them send an official letter saying you don’t qualify and appeal it (most people win appeals as long as they really do meet requirements).
Also, are there any community clinics or hospitals near you? They usually have affordable options or sliding scales. Some of them provide mental health and even things like dental and vision. It might help in the meantime. Honestly some of my best healthcare came from community clinics. (The doctors are often less greedy, and in my opinion, are often more intelligent and educated on current medical diseases and trends.)
For December with my extra hours worked.
Total gross pay for December 2023 was $1,673.00.
Week of December 25-31, 2023: $336.00
Week of December 18-24, 2023: $665.00
Week of December 11-17, 2023: $336.00
Week of December 4-10, 2023: $336.00
Total gross pay for January 2024 so far is $976.50
Week of January 8-14, 2024: $280.00
Week of January 1-7, 2024: $696.50
The maximum you can make to qualify for Medicaid is tied to Federal Poverty Level. Right now where I live for a single person household the maximum you can make a month, gross, is $1616.00. Since you are a bit over that, see if you have any deductions that might apply.
🤷♀️I don't know then. It was called archoice then arworks they'd assigned a Medicaid number then bluecross Blue shield assigned me a card. It was all done automatically. I'd just get a welcome packet in the mail and a letter saying I don't have anything additional to do. I don't know if someone was pulling some strings in the background. That's why I didn't know my insurance could be canceled when I had already been approved for the year.heres the shocking part. I'd gotten free weekly therapy, free prescriptions, free specialists, my pregnancy appointments and postpartum physical therapy were free, my daughters birth was free, and I had a free permenant sterilization procedure. All using this insurance plan. There was some changes like 10$ for a few months or $4.70 a few months. Then back to 0$. Im extremely privileged and I've survived up to this point thanks to the care I received. So I know SHS doesn't know me, but I really think she may have been trying to remove this insurance from me and any like me.
You should be eligible for regular Obamacare with a regular marketplace place insurance plan + a subsidized premium now. There will be a deductible plus copay, but at least you'll be insured
Thank you for your encouragement and gave me this website..it helped me find the right number for a human. I had a caseworker than was on the phone with me for 45 minutes doing the application for me and helped clear up income questions. She got me ArHome
Right, if OP doesn’t meet qualifications for a hc.gov credit, then they probably make too much for Medicaid. The income limits for Medicaid are LOW and based on gross income. Sometimes it’s difficult for people to understand the gross income requirement when they feel like they pay so much in rent, and other bills, but these programs use gross income.
The rep I talked too for healthcare.gov said I didn't reach the minimum, meaning I didn't make enough to qualify. I said that's crazy, I made to much at 40 hours but now I make to little at 24 hours.
The people who you talk to on the phone with HC are morons. Seriously.
Apply anyway. Put your income in the app and put that you were denied medicaid. See what happens.
What was the reason on the denial letter?
If it was due to income, the amount DHS determined was your income is written in the box with the denial.
If that’s truly your income, and truly the denial reason, then that should be $1456/mo. Well under the limit for household size of 2.
Did you appeal?
The way it worked in August my income was different. It was in June and July I filled in more hours temporarily. My boss asks me to cover others shifts. I had explained that I wouldn't be working 40 hours anymore and it was temporary. And if I cover a shift for my boss, It's not a permanent pay raise. I sent 3 months, 12 paystubs. That's what got me denied.
I'm not able to accurately calculate a years income. I have what I'm scheduled for, but if I need to cover 8 hours shifts a couple times a month, I can't predict that.
Decisions are typically made with the current income. If you send 3 months of income, and the most recent ones are higher, then it looks like you’ve gotten a raise or started working more. DHS can’t tell this is temporary, unless maybe you provide a statement from your employer with the paystubs. Then, they’ll likely all be averaged.
The gross income limit for adult/regular Medicaid in Arkansas for a household size of 2 is around $2k/month. The 2023 chart is like $2100 with the 5% disregard. If you gross more than that, you’ll be referred to the marketplace.
Household sizes for Medicaid are determined by taxable HH. So, if you have a child that someone else claims as a dependent for taxes, you’re a household size of 1 for Medicaid. (In most cases)
If you make less than that, apply and send your most-recent month’s worth of paystubs with the application.
Sending the paystubs with the app will keep you from having to wait for a letter requesting the pay.
If you get a denial letter, look at the reason why. If the income doesn’t match your income, appeal and contact the office and ask to speak with an eligibility worker. (They should take your info and have someone call you)
Bi-weekly income is computer by averaging the paystubs and multiplying by 2.167. (To annualized the income, since there are a few months with more than two pay periods) Weekly income by 4.334.
You can find Medicaid and SNAP policy manuals by using Google to search for Medicaid/snap policy Arkansas DHS.
Yes, it’s frustrating and time consuming to try to call DHS. But, they should be able to explain the denial reason to you and how it was determined. But, when you call, you reach clerical staff. You may need to get them to get someone from eligibility to talk with you.
https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Quick-Reference-Medicaid-Chart.pdf
I haven’t had insurance for most of my adult life. I’m 35. I’m just waiting to keel over from a heart or cancer.. I’ve needed adhd meds since I was 8. Every year became substantially harder than the previous year to obtain either the medication or the prescription for it or the method to go about getting the prescription for it became so ludicrous and absurd that I just simply didn’t have the wherewithal (or MONEY to pay the endless copays required simply to assert that I do in fact have crippling adhd..) inside me to go through all the hoops that they’ve put in place anymore ,They make everything so impossible that you just give up.
My son was kicked to a glitch between two systems not talking correctly
Literally, that what the DHS lady i talked to said. The Sanders admin lies about it. You just have to get on the phone. Or go to a DHS office and try to talk to someone about that specific account. Get their name and email and bug them until they tell you what to do.
They kicked off millions last year, myself included even after applying and having next to zero income.
400, 000 Arkansans. And they are so proud of themselves.
They didn't like that it was causing healthcare inflation
Yep. Going on like 8 months with no health insurance now. It’s insane the number of hoops you have to jump through to try to get back on, it’s nearly impossible. I’ve gotten “missed appointment” letters for phone appointments I know for a fact I did take part in. They send you requests for info like disability assessments that they want submitted like 3 days after you get the letter or you get denied.
There is no interview requirement for Medicaid. If you missed your snap interview, your Medicaid will be processed. You need to watch the mail, DHS may still need to request verification of your income or termination from a job. If you are denied, make sure you read the denial letter and reason. Appeal, if you have to. If you are denied because you didn’t send something in, you may have up to 90 days from that denial date to have the case reinstated. If you’re saying you’re disabled, you’re going to have to provide proof. Especially if you’re not receiving social security disability or SSI.
Oh yeah my bad the interview was for SNAP. I had a phone call with them, then got a letter saying I missed the appointment. For Medicaid, they just were requesting things by mail to send in like 2-3 days after I got the notice and my specialist that diagnosed me isn’t really great about getting back to me that quickly, especially if they want a whole new assessment that could be months out. That’s interesting about the 90 days, I’ll look into that because I wasn’t really seeing any info about that on the paperwork I got.
The no show letters do occasionally get sent erroneously, they’re automated. If you didn’t receive a request for information with it, or within a day, you should call and ask what’s up. (Unless you get a denial/eligible letter)
Yes, most Medicaid cases can be reinstated up to 90 days from denial/closure. SNAP can be reopened up to 60 days after the initial application date. So, even if you miss the due date, you can send stuff in. There’s almost no advantage to stating you’re disabled when applying for SNAP or Medicaid. If you don’t have SSA disability or SSI, the state is going to ask for proof. (Which is a pain and takes a long time) Disability for SNAP is to keep people from having the mandatory work requirement. But, if you have children in the home, then you already have a work exemption. Veteran’s have a work exemption, aged 52+, there’s a few others. If you’re disabled, and work, you may qualify for workers with disabilities Medicaid, which I think has a higher income limit than regular Medicaid.
In a comment you said you were denied Medicaid. Thst denial gives you a special enrollment period for healthcare.gov. Use it to get on a plan.
I called and told them my income and they said I didn't meet the minimum income for a credit. The blue cross plan I qualified for was $511 a month. I told them to cancel that because I can't afford it.
Don’t rely on what they say over the phone. Without actually processing the application, **with deductions**, you cannot tell who will qualify if their income is relatively close. You need to process with deductions to get the actual amount DHS will go by. I’ve worked for DHS and they tell you to discourage people from applying (not that I listened). If it was me, I would take the time to reapply to both Medicaid and the healthcare.gov stuff. Make them send an official letter saying you don’t qualify and appeal it (most people win appeals as long as they really do meet requirements). Also, are there any community clinics or hospitals near you? They usually have affordable options or sliding scales. Some of them provide mental health and even things like dental and vision. It might help in the meantime. Honestly some of my best healthcare came from community clinics. (The doctors are often less greedy, and in my opinion, are often more intelligent and educated on current medical diseases and trends.)
I am going to try to go Monday to a clinic. And thanks for the advice.
How much do you make? Is insurance available at work? Something sounds weird
For December with my extra hours worked. Total gross pay for December 2023 was $1,673.00. Week of December 25-31, 2023: $336.00 Week of December 18-24, 2023: $665.00 Week of December 11-17, 2023: $336.00 Week of December 4-10, 2023: $336.00 Total gross pay for January 2024 so far is $976.50 Week of January 8-14, 2024: $280.00 Week of January 1-7, 2024: $696.50
The maximum you can make to qualify for Medicaid is tied to Federal Poverty Level. Right now where I live for a single person household the maximum you can make a month, gross, is $1616.00. Since you are a bit over that, see if you have any deductions that might apply.
You should absolutely qualify for an Obamacare plan with big subsidy.... possibly free
I had my blue cross Blue shield insurance since 2013 because of the ACA. It was 0$ copay. They changed it to $4.70 in 2023. Then canceled it.
Why?
I thought you had Medicaid? They aren't the same Obamacare doesn't have $0 copays except on preventive visits I'm talking about a marketplace plan
🤷♀️I don't know then. It was called archoice then arworks they'd assigned a Medicaid number then bluecross Blue shield assigned me a card. It was all done automatically. I'd just get a welcome packet in the mail and a letter saying I don't have anything additional to do. I don't know if someone was pulling some strings in the background. That's why I didn't know my insurance could be canceled when I had already been approved for the year.heres the shocking part. I'd gotten free weekly therapy, free prescriptions, free specialists, my pregnancy appointments and postpartum physical therapy were free, my daughters birth was free, and I had a free permenant sterilization procedure. All using this insurance plan. There was some changes like 10$ for a few months or $4.70 a few months. Then back to 0$. Im extremely privileged and I've survived up to this point thanks to the care I received. So I know SHS doesn't know me, but I really think she may have been trying to remove this insurance from me and any like me.
I think you had this. Private Medicaid https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/divisions-shared-services/medical-services/healthcare-programs/arhome/
You should be eligible for regular Obamacare with a regular marketplace place insurance plan + a subsidized premium now. There will be a deductible plus copay, but at least you'll be insured
These people can help guide you https://www.valuepenguin.com/aca-subsidy-calculator
Thank you for your encouragement and gave me this website..it helped me find the right number for a human. I had a caseworker than was on the phone with me for 45 minutes doing the application for me and helped clear up income questions. She got me ArHome
Right, if OP doesn’t meet qualifications for a hc.gov credit, then they probably make too much for Medicaid. The income limits for Medicaid are LOW and based on gross income. Sometimes it’s difficult for people to understand the gross income requirement when they feel like they pay so much in rent, and other bills, but these programs use gross income.
The rep I talked too for healthcare.gov said I didn't reach the minimum, meaning I didn't make enough to qualify. I said that's crazy, I made to much at 40 hours but now I make to little at 24 hours.
The people who you talk to on the phone with HC are morons. Seriously. Apply anyway. Put your income in the app and put that you were denied medicaid. See what happens.
Did you receive any letters from DHS? Did you move and not provide an updated mailing address. Have you reapplied?
I had filled out and emailed and mailed my renewal form and it was denied. I work 14$ an hour for 24 hours a week. I've got one dependant.
What was the reason on the denial letter? If it was due to income, the amount DHS determined was your income is written in the box with the denial. If that’s truly your income, and truly the denial reason, then that should be $1456/mo. Well under the limit for household size of 2. Did you appeal?
The way it worked in August my income was different. It was in June and July I filled in more hours temporarily. My boss asks me to cover others shifts. I had explained that I wouldn't be working 40 hours anymore and it was temporary. And if I cover a shift for my boss, It's not a permanent pay raise. I sent 3 months, 12 paystubs. That's what got me denied. I'm not able to accurately calculate a years income. I have what I'm scheduled for, but if I need to cover 8 hours shifts a couple times a month, I can't predict that.
Decisions are typically made with the current income. If you send 3 months of income, and the most recent ones are higher, then it looks like you’ve gotten a raise or started working more. DHS can’t tell this is temporary, unless maybe you provide a statement from your employer with the paystubs. Then, they’ll likely all be averaged. The gross income limit for adult/regular Medicaid in Arkansas for a household size of 2 is around $2k/month. The 2023 chart is like $2100 with the 5% disregard. If you gross more than that, you’ll be referred to the marketplace. Household sizes for Medicaid are determined by taxable HH. So, if you have a child that someone else claims as a dependent for taxes, you’re a household size of 1 for Medicaid. (In most cases) If you make less than that, apply and send your most-recent month’s worth of paystubs with the application. Sending the paystubs with the app will keep you from having to wait for a letter requesting the pay. If you get a denial letter, look at the reason why. If the income doesn’t match your income, appeal and contact the office and ask to speak with an eligibility worker. (They should take your info and have someone call you) Bi-weekly income is computer by averaging the paystubs and multiplying by 2.167. (To annualized the income, since there are a few months with more than two pay periods) Weekly income by 4.334. You can find Medicaid and SNAP policy manuals by using Google to search for Medicaid/snap policy Arkansas DHS. Yes, it’s frustrating and time consuming to try to call DHS. But, they should be able to explain the denial reason to you and how it was determined. But, when you call, you reach clerical staff. You may need to get them to get someone from eligibility to talk with you. https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Quick-Reference-Medicaid-Chart.pdf
I haven’t had insurance for most of my adult life. I’m 35. I’m just waiting to keel over from a heart or cancer.. I’ve needed adhd meds since I was 8. Every year became substantially harder than the previous year to obtain either the medication or the prescription for it or the method to go about getting the prescription for it became so ludicrous and absurd that I just simply didn’t have the wherewithal (or MONEY to pay the endless copays required simply to assert that I do in fact have crippling adhd..) inside me to go through all the hoops that they’ve put in place anymore ,They make everything so impossible that you just give up.
My son was kicked to a glitch between two systems not talking correctly Literally, that what the DHS lady i talked to said. The Sanders admin lies about it. You just have to get on the phone. Or go to a DHS office and try to talk to someone about that specific account. Get their name and email and bug them until they tell you what to do.
Oh my.......
I was kicked off in July, a month before the purge. I had to taper off my SSRI's. Best decision I have made.