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SSI Medi-Cal/ Medicaid
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Hi! My son is now 18 years old and therefore is beginning the application process for SSI and the Dept. of Rehab. He has already been accepted as a client for the DOR and is going to get assistance with paying for school, so that's great!
Our next step was to apply for SSI and along with that comes the Medicaid program which is called Medi-Cal here in California. This is the part that is scaring me! Right now he is on my employer's health plan as a dependent. The booklet I got from them says that I can keep him as an eligible dependent until the age of 25 if he qualifies as a dependent under IRS guidelines (OR) is a full time student. The booklet also states that Disabled children as determined by Social Security are eligible with no age max. I have asked everyone I can think of the question: When my son starts to receive SSI and pays "his fair share" living at home will he still be eligible as a disabled child or will he be considered by them as an independent? There is nothing in the booklet that states that he has to be IRS dependent if he's a full time student or determined disabled by SS, but I'm worried that when the time comes and I'm given the verification paperwork from my employer there will be something to verify that he must be dependent on us for "maintenance and support". Am I just asking too many questions? UGH! Now here's another question.....Does Medicaid/Medi-Cal work? Does it give adequate coverage? Is it hard to find good doctors who will accept Medicaid/Medi-Cal patients? Or if it does come down to the fine print, would it be better to give up the SSI and keep him on my plan as a disabled child for as long as I'm employed? My plan isn't perfect, but I don't want him to lose it if it's replacement is worse. Sorry if I'm babbling. No one, not my HR dept. at work, the umbrella plan group rep. I talked to, or the insurance rep., seems to know and they haven't shown me any paperwork because it changed this year and no one seems to have a copy yet. Thanks! Chris Posted on 08/07/09, 08:08 pm |
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I am not sure if it varies from state to state but I don't think it does. I know that I would have been able to continue under the status of dependent, despite getting SSI/Medicare if I had not dropped below 12 credits (or full-time status). So basically, I think as long as he is a full time student, he will be under your insurance. 
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