What are the eligibility requirements for Medicaid in your state? (STATE OF MARYLAND)
Answer the following questions after finding the Medicare consumer info website:
Are you eligible for Medicare?
Describe the benefits you can get (assuming Medicare eligibility).
Consider the Medicaid program in your state:
What are the eligibility requirements for Medicaid in your state? (STATE OF MARYLAND)
How much income (Social Security, pension, interest, etc.) are you allowed each month (as a Medicaid beneficiary)?
How much assets are you allowed (as a Medicaid beneficiary)? And which possessions count as assets?
Are you eligible for application to your state’s Medicaid program?
What benefits would you be able to get (assuming Medicaid eligibility)?
What are your thoughts on living within the Medicaid income guidelines and asset restrictions?
Could you find the information quickly and easily? How user friendly is your state’s Medicaid site?
If you did not have access to a computer, how would you get the information?
How would you get the information and take the next steps for filing an application if you had an age†related limitation such as poor vision, limited hand function due to arthritis, or short term memory loss?
Please “pretend” and use your imagination. A science fiction short story … with apologies to literature fans:
The Fantastic Future Changer visited you last night and you were instantly changed during your sleep. You are now 81 years old.
Time begins to pass. You continue to live in your current home and your car is in the driveway. Six months go by. Because of the accelerated changes, you are suffering with a multitude of degenerative conditions because even though you were highly aware of health issues … you led a very stressful lifestyle and the cumulative effects are evident. Of course, you are out of the work force.
You meet a neighbor who also was changed recently by the Fantastic Future Changer. You become friends and meet for lunch at a local diner. You both decide to check out eligibility requirements for health care coverage options. You are interested in both support for remaining in the community as well as a possible move to a nursing home. You go on†line and find Medicare guidelines and the Medicaid requirements for your state.
Answer the following questions after finding the Medicare consumer info website:
Are you eligible for Medicare?
Describe the benefits you can get (assuming Medicare eligibility).
Consider the Medicaid program in your state:
What are the eligibility requirements for Medicaid in your state?
How much income (Social Security, pension, interest, etc.) are you allowed each month (as a Medicaid beneficiary)?
How much assets are you allowed (as a Medicaid beneficiary)? And which possessions count as assets?
Are you eligible for application to your state’s Medicaid program?
What benefits would you be able to get (assuming Medicaid eligibility)?
What are your thoughts on living within the Medicaid income guidelines and asset restrictions?
Could you find the information quickly and easily? How user friendly is your state’s Medicaid site?
If you did not have access to a computer, how would you get the information?
How would you get the information and take the next steps for filing an application if you had an age†related limitation such as poor vision, limited hand function due to arthritis, or short term memory loss?
ASSIGNMENT 2: Answer ONLY 2 of the following questions: Share your thoughts supported by evidence (research†based and anecdotal examples are
acceptable). Your thoughtful analysis should demonstrate understanding of the Kingdon concepts.
1• Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt said the
following in February, 2005: “There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big
enough to see, but small enough to solve…For Medicaid, that window of opportunity is upon
us.” What do you think he meant by this? Do you agree with him?
2• A change was made in the Medicaid program related to the transfer of assets in order to
achieve eligibility. The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) made several important changes to the
Medicaid asset†transfer rules. The lookback period for asset transfers was extended from 3
years to 5 years and the start of the penalty period or ineligibility period for transferred
assets was changed from the date of the transfer of assets to the date when the elderly
person applies for Medicaid and is otherwise qualified for Medicaid, generally at the time he
or she enters a nursing home. Simply put, one of the key requirements for Medicaid
eligibility is that the elderly person lacks assets, meaning he or she can’t afford to pay for
nursing home care.
Therefore, for examples, if within the 5 year look†back time period, a grandparent needs
nursing home care after giving a grandchild $15,000 to help pay for college or to help a child
purchase a retirement condominium, the elder could be ineligible for Medicaid payment for
the nursing home costs because of the “asset transfer.”
Supporters of the idea say Medicaid was never intended as a program to subsidize nursing
home care for middle income families. Opponents say this change was unreasonable to
middle income families. What do you think?
3• A Medicare “reform” proposal (dubbed “pay for performance”) would pay physicians
bonuses if they deliver better†quality care and reduce costs. The administrator of Medicare
said the rationale for the proposal is that “it’s time we pay for the quality of health care
provided to our beneficiaries, not just the amount.”
What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a “pay for
performance” program such as this?
4• Do think Medicare should be “means tested” †††should wealthier Medicare beneficiaries
have to pay more than less wealthy beneficiaries? If Medicare adopted a means test, how
should the wealth of a beneficiary be determined †††income or assets?
