Mississippi Medicaid is a federal-state health insurance program for low-income families and individuals. It covers basic health needs as well as long-term care services. You must be a resident of the state of Mississippi to qualify for Medicaid. Unlike many other states, Mississippi has not yet expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This means that a significant portion of the state’s low-income population falls into the “coverage gap,” uninsured and ineligible for traditional Medicaid or subsidized marketplace plans. Efforts to expand Medicaid in Mississippi have faced political opposition, though proposals and discussions continue.
Mississippi Medicaid Application?
To apply for Mississippi Medicaid, you must complete a Medicaid application form and submit it to the appropriate regional office. You can find the Mississippi medicaid application on the state’s website, and you can fill it out online or in person at the nearest regional office. Make sure you have all the necessary documents with you when you visit the regional office. The regional office will review your information and make a decision about your eligibility status.
Mississippi Medicaid Aged, Blind, and Disabled Program Income Limits
Generally speaking, in order to qualify for Mississippi Medicaid’s aged, blind, and disabled program (ABD), seniors must have a monthly income of $794 or less and possess no more than $2,000 in countable assets ($3,000 for couples). Most of one’s income is considered countable, including cash from family/friends, employment wages, alimony payments, pension payments, annuity payments, stock dividends, IRA withdrawals and even Social Security benefits. Fortunately, nationally, Holocaust restitution payments and VA Aid and Attendance benefits are not counted.
Medicaid helps many Medicare beneficiaries pay for the cost of Medicare premiums, co-payments and services that Medicare doesn’t cover. In the state of Mississippi, there are several different programs that assist with these costs.
All of these programs have hard income and resource limits. In general, the limits are based on household size and are determined using Internal Revenue Service rules for Modified Adjusted Gross Income with a 5% disregard based on the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) applied where applicable. In addition, all states apply a 60-month Look-Back Period that checks past asset transfers to discourage people from “gifting” assets in order to meet eligibility requirements.
MississippiCAN Waiver Program
There are waiver programs that provide additional coverage in Mississippi. The Division of Medicaid oversees these programs. It also offers a managed care program called MississippiCAN. It is offered by Magnolia Health and United Healthcare. Its goal is to get a better return on the federal investment in Medicaid by improving health outcomes. It is important to know the rules and regulations when applying for Medicaid. For example, there is a 60-month look-back period for Nursing Home Medicaid and waiver applicants.
New Mississippi Medicaid Provider Portal
The Mississippi Medicaid program provides health insurance coverage for low income individuals and families. The program offers different levels of coverage based on the individual’s family size and income. Individuals can apply for Mississippi health coverage through the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) or directly with the state’s Division of Medicaid.
Mississippi’s Division of Medicaid has implemented a new provider portal and a new Medicaid Management Information System, known as MESA: Medicaid Enterprise System Assistance. MESA includes a new Provider Portal that allows providers to submit and adjust claims; view and save remittance advice; and submit, amend, and verify prior authorizations. DOM’s new MESA provider portal is available to all Mississippi Medicaid and CHIP providers.
Resources for further information:
Mississippi Medicaid website: https://medicaid.ms.gov/
Benefits.gov Mississippi Medicaid page: https://medicaid.ms.gov/