My husband
and I have adopted several children with disabilities. We do have private insurance, however, as you
may already know or have experienced private insurance does not provide a lot
of the services children with significant needs require. As we
discovered each child’s needs we advocated for them and were able to get
Kentucky State Medicaid Waivers for each of them. These waivers provide in home services,
community services, and Medicaid insurance.
Our children have had these waivers for several years now.
Recently, at
the advice of several providers, we applied for SSI for the children. To our surprise our children’s Medicaid was
immediately discontinued upon filing the SSI application. They lost all in home services, Medicaid
insurance, therapy, and medical supplies they received through the State
Medicaid Waiver.
After making
many phone calls and doing research online I was informed that there is a policy
that states a person cannot have an application with DCBS and SSI at the same
time. We were never informed this prior
to making the application.
MS 4650 “An application for SSI
pending with the SSA is also an application for Aged, Blind, or Disabled
MA. Deny any duplicate application for
Aged, Blind, or Disabled MA made with DCBS”
I was also
informed that this is an automatic computer generator procedure in which there
is no room for interpretation. During the time that the SSI application is
being reviewed Medicaid will be discontinued.
As we all know the application process is not a quick process and could
take up to 6 months or longer. During
that time our children will not have any needed services provided by Medicaid
or the Medicaid Waiver.
It is my
opinion that although this policy makes sense its generalized application does
not. Yes if my children were applying
for SSI and Medicaid at the same time it would be a duplicate application. However, in the case of my children they
already had Medicaid. It was NOT a duplicate application. A
service that they qualify for and have been receiving for several years has
been stopped. They can no longer
receive therapy and they no longer have in home services. We have in home medical supplies which Medicaid
has been providing, which includes feeding tube supplies that will no longer be
covered.
We have
since discovered other children have also lost their Medicaid due to this
policy. Something needs to change. Where is the continuance of services? Medicaid should not be stopped on application
but should continue until SSI is approved or denied. Please help us spread the word!
