The Medicaid renewal process is causing confusion for users and the federal government is monitoring how states are managing it. According to an AP article from August 17, 2023, Federal Medicaid officials have warned about long call center wait times in one-third of the states, which may cause people to give up on renewing their Medicaid coverage. We should not allow this to happen. The Renewal Process This review process is not new. Pre-pandemic, it
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Advice for writing your plan of service Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) are services provided by Medicaid for people with disabilities so they can live in their own homes and communities. Gone are the days of forcing people with disabilities into nursing homes or institutions. The 1981 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (Section 1915c) created Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) that allows states to provide services as an alternative to institutional care. Through Medicaid, people with
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If you are talking about traveling, I have no problem butting into your conversation! I love to hear about people’s trips and swap tips. During my daughter’s Miracle League baseball game last week, I talked to another mom about their Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World. I could easily talk about Disney all day, but she had some questions and concerns about flying with her child with a disability. She had questions about the logistics of
The beach is my happy place. It has become a happy place for our family. The sun, the sand, the water, it’s healing. We have always done our best to make traveling accessible and enjoyable for Reagan. There is no way I could enjoy my happy place if Reagan could not enjoy it. Along the way, we have found some beach essentials for wheelchair users. Beach accessibility has come a long way in the last
Understanding the Relationship Between the Debt Ceiling and SSI Payments The debt ceiling can have significant impacts on the Social Security Income (SSI) program. Debt Ceiling: What is it? The debt ceiling is the maximum amount of money that the government can borrow to pay its outstanding bills and other financial obligations. Essentially, it sets a limit on how much money the government can borrow to cover its expenses. Failure to raise the debt ceiling
Filing for benefits and services for your child with disabilities differs by state. What doesn’t differ is the general process. This is overwhelming at first, but worth it, if your child has more services. Whether you’re applying for a Medicaid Waiver, SSI, or community-based services, there are some important things to remember. Apply. If your child is receiving special education services through their public school, there are programs and benefits that you should access. Even
Information for parents of disabled people transitioning into adulthood. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a government program that provides monthly income to people with disabilities (or who are over 65) with limited or no income to help them meet their basic needs, like food and shelter. SSI is a federal program but the states administer it. States have the option of providing additional funds and/or automatic health insurance through Medicaid. To qualify, the person applying
What you can do to protect coverage for yourself or someone you love. Health Care is expensive. According to the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, US healthcare spending reached $4.3 trillion in 2021. That makes healthcare spending 18.3% of the US Gross Domestic Product. So, it is not surprising that states have started removing Medicaid coverage for many of their residents. During the Public Health Emergency (PHE), the federal government barred states from
And how the government could make it easier There are many barriers for people with a disability and they are not all physical. There is an economic cost to having a disability that needs to be recognized. We expect that individuals with a disability will have higher healthcare costs and needs, but we overlook all the “extra” costs. These costs often force people living with a disability to choose between their independence and their government