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NOTE: I am placing this post in this most relevant sub-forum in my opinion. If Pippi or someone thinks it belongs somewhere else, maybe we can move it. >>>>>
I just wanted to share some information about health insurance which may apply to some full-time RV’ers. Many people who are eligible for Medicare or Medicaid or even other state-funded insurance assistance are not aware that they are eligible. Also, after so called “Obama Care” was passed, not only did the amount of people eligible increase but the amount of benefits available increased for many people in the United States who qualify.
Government-funded insurance and relief programs in the U.S. depend on many factors. For instance, Medicaid, although federally funded, usually differs from state to state. And quite often, the amount of benefit a person can receive is based on current income, assets the person holds, etc. You may be surprised about state-funded assistance you are eligible for but don’t know about. For instance, I probably was eligible for certain health benefits before I realized it. But after “Obama Care” passed into law, those benefits increased literally like 1,000 fold. So I encourage you to research what state-funded benefits you may be able to receive, especially as it relates to health insurance.
As I stated, in the U.S., a lot of the rules or standards differ from state to state. So what you are eligible for will depend on your LEGAL ADDRESS. Especially with Medicare and Medicaid, most states have their own standards for distribution of benefits. So what you need to do is visit the state website of whatever state you are a legal resident in. In the last 2 years, you may have unknowingly become eligible for way more benefits than you know about. What you will probably need to do is fill out a series of forms concerning your income, assets, needs, etc. If you need help doing this, contact the DHS office local to your legal address. There are case workers who can help you figure out what you are entitled to although in some cases, the state website provides all forms you need to fill out, other than “proofs” which are hardcopy proofs of how much savings you have, what you own, etc. If you have questions, a DHS worker can provide you with the answers. But remember, this is almost ALWAYS dependent on your LEGAL ADDRESS and you will be subject to the regulations of that state and jurisdiction.
Beyond insurance, and depending on your health status, income, net worth, etc., you may be eligible for other benefits apart from health assistance. This could include food assistance or cash assistance if your income level and assets meet requirements.
Even if you have applied or have been in these programs before, I encourage you to check them out again or re-apply. Nationwide and many state laws have been amended and changed in the last couple years. You may have benefits available that you don’t know about. And sometimes, they can amount to THOUSANDS of dollars of assistance each year.
I am not an expert but I am willing to answer any questions that I can regarding this subject. Where you should start is in Google probably by typing the state you are a legal resident of followed by “Medicare Medicade food cash assistance.” That search will most likely take you to a DHS-affiliated website for your state. Well wishes and again, I can try to answer any questions people have, but as previously stated, laws and regulations very by state and this only applies to the United States. 🙂
Great info Greg! Just an FYI to others reading, some states might not have a DHS but instead the health and food assistance benefits go through the DES.
Since Obama Care, each state now has a department to offer health insurance to those qualifying. So somebody could also Google ‘ “my state” health insurance ‘.
Best of luck and thanks for the tip!
Good point, Pippi~~ Quite often, our state agencies do very similar jobs but go under different names. Where I am now, the agency is called the “Department of Human Services,” but just as my driving bureau has a somewhat uncommon name, other states’ agencies may go under alternate names.
One thing reading this thread reminded me of just now is that many states… and this does not have to do with insurance or anything… but many states now have “unclaimed assets” websites which allow you to search for funds/assets which you are legally entitled to but have not claimed. I actually successfully searched for and received some money before from such a website/agency.
What that is is like… In my case, I had left a job once some years ago and I never picked up my last paycheck. I did not have direct-deposit and the company decided to just not mail it to me because they are greedy or don’t care or whatever. Well, I plugged my name into an unclaimed money/asset website for the proper state (Usually they are state-run.) and to my surprise…. Oh wait… Sorry…. This is kind of humorous~~~ I was at a new job and this goofy co-worker of mine was on the website and put my name into it and said, “Greg, did you know you have money owed to you on here?”
So yeah… I had left a previous job and never received my last paycheck. So I went on myself after he told me and filled out a claim for it and the state sent me a check for the money. It wasn’t a WHOLE lot but hey…. one missed paycheck is one missed paycheck, right? Well… these state sites typically also include inheritances people don’t know about or maybe even settlements from class-action lawsuits or whatever. So they are worth checking. I wouldn’t expect to become a millionaire but I ended up getting several hundred dollars that I didn’t know about! Not bad! 🙂
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