For the unknowing – Medicaid is the principal source of funding for medical and health-related services for individuals with limited income in America. The concept of Medicaid came about so that the government could provide assistance to low-asset people to help them pay of a portion of their medical bills.
According to a U.S census, 6 out of every 10 children from single-parent families were living under or at the poverty line. This is because single parents have a lot of pressure on them all the time – to be the sole providers for their families and to be emotionally and physically present at all times is never easy.
If you are or going to become a single mother, then managing finances becomes very important. If don’t have the funds or cannot afford to get yourself treated you and your your family can fall into a vicious cycle of trouble.
Applying for Medicaid is a smart way to help your and your family fight your way out of any medical financial predicaments – while it is less likely that adults will qualify for Medicaid, uninsured child coming from a low income family3 can qualify for the same or as a pregnant woman who is about to become a single parent you can qualify for Medicaid as well. In general, you should apply for Medicaid if you have limited income and resources.
Understanding Medicaid
It is essentially a state as well as federal scheme, wherein states and federal government jointly funds it, while the state authorities manage it. Its primary goal is to assist low income families to pay their medical bills.
This scheme was introduced in the year 1995 and since then, it has been helping citizens to get good medical help that they wouldn’t have been able to afford without it.
All the different states in America have their own Medicaid program that is administered by their own Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Statistics state that richer states receive less funding for this scheme than the poorer states do.
Medicaid Eligibility
Each state creates their own guidelines for eligibility but they have to be in accordance with the federal guidelines. Because each states comes up with their own parameters for qualification each state might have a different income level required to qualify for the same, higher in some and lower in others.
Other than income, the factors that are taken into consideration include your assets like household resources. In addition to the above factors – individuals must also fall into one of the following groups to qualify including pregnant women, parents of eligible children (up to age 18), disabled individuals, people with certain medical conditions, the elderly, and nursing home residents.
If you are a pregnant woman, about to become a single parent, you may qualify for Medicaid and be reimbursed or given financial aid to help during child and baby care.
While Medicaid isn’t the ideal, nor the only source of medical financial assistance that the government provides to single mothers. If used correctly and at the right time, it can be a great source of help for low-income, single parent families.