may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

My father was diagnosed with liver cancer last Friday and told he has 6 months to live. The doctor at the emergency room just wrote him off saying there is nothing he can do, discharged him with a months supply of morphine and told him if he wants he can follow up with another doctor (who was a general practicioner, not even an oncologist).

This was completely unacceptable to my family so we managed to get him an appointment at memorial sloan kettering. only they don't take his insurance and have recommended that since neither he or my mother are working anymore that they apply for medicaid.

I have been calling Medicaid and SS for the past 2 days trying to get a straight answer as to whether we can get him benefits but have been completely getting the run-around. Medicaid said that we first have to get SS to declare him disabled and then he will automatically be entitled to Medicaid, but the earliest appt I could get was next Tuesday. And then, once that is done, I need to go back to Medicaid with the SSD proof of application. I'm not entirely clear on the process here and need any help I can get would be greatly appreciated. Obviously, time is crucial and not something I can waste waiting at government agencies for weeks. Please give any advice as to how I can expedite this process.

TIA

Re: may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

I dont really have any advice, i guess the only thing you can do now is to keep your appt until tuesday. Keep calling every day to see if someone canceled their appt? Many & For you and your family.

Re: may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

I'm very sorry to hear about your father.

My family consulted with an eldercare lawyer to help learn what benefits my grandmother qualified for. Then my family did the actual application with a social worker from Catholic Charities (we're in Nassau) who does only this, and it was free of charge. It was not a speedy process but it sped it up a bit. She had all the contacts and was able to follow up directly to keep on top of the situation.

It may have gone faster if we used the lawyer, but he was expensive and my grandmother had fantastic medical covereage, we were more concerned with getting her in the system before the changes a few years ago.

Re: may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

Call medicaid and get the app. Fill it out and provide all the paperwork there is. He will only qualify for medicaid automatically if he qualifies for SSI..not just SSD. I took one day for me to get the app. Hand deliver it to the medicaid office. Then you will be medicaid pending. Most hospitals will accept medicaid pending since they will be reimbursed retro actively.

I'm so sorry to hear this. I am going through something silimar.

Hang in there. Yes, you should absolutley keep your appt because they will apply for SSI and if he gets approved for SSI it will be automatic.

It takes 3-5 months to get approved for SSD though. Get the medicaid app before that.

Re: may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

It can take a very long time to get approved for ss disability, even though they have expedited processing for terminally ill patients.

In order to get medicaid & ssi, you have to have limited income & resources so I don't know if that would apply for your father.

You don't necessarily need an appt to go to the office but a walk-in will take longer. You can also start the dib appl on-line at www.ssa.gov

Good luck

Re: may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

IMO...call the hospital IMMEDIATELY that discharged your dad and tell them you would like them to set you up with a case manager. The hospital has some set sending you home without some type of discharge plan. Go home and your on your own is not a proper discharge plan. They should have hooked you up with something. Also, I thought sloan kettering didnt turn people away? I am not sure but thats what I heard. Your story is sickening that the hospital treated you all this way. I am so sorry. I was a hospital social worker and I would never treat anyone like that.

Re: may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

So, should I fill out the Medicaid application first, or only after going to SS for SSI, should I go to Medicaid? Will I have something from SS the day of my appointment to bring to Medicaid or do I have to wait a certain amount of time to hear from SS whether they approved my father for SSI before I can go to Medicaid?

Thanks for all the help. I don't want to just go running from office to office only to find out that I should have done something else first.

Re: may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

Re: may be wrong forum but need HELP PLEASE - SSA - Medicaid

Medicaid and SSD and SSI are two different things. Keep your SSD appt, but there won't be anything they give you to go to medicaid. The hospital should have helped you with the medicaid application. I would call them. They do this all the time. Go to medicaid and get the app, fill it out, get the approrpriate documents they need and drop it off at the office. (two different offices)

I'm so sorry you are navigating this alone. I have been doing it myself as well.

Please let us know how things go.