Helping Low-income People Find Solutions to Civil Legal Problems

Government Benefits >  Health care assistance (Medicaid, Medicare, Charity Care)   Listing of self-help materials and informational publications. There are 33 resources     General information      How Can I Get Medical Coverage or Help With Medical Bills? This publication explains what types of health care coverage are offered by the state for those in need. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский           Washington Basic Health Plan (Separate Website) Information on how to apply for the Basic Health plan, the waiting list, and how much it will cost if and when you qualify. By: Washington State Health Care Authority           Northwest Health Law Advocates Web Site (Separate Website) The NOHLA web site contains information on the Basic Health Plan, health insurance for Washington residents, Charity Care, and rural health care. By: Northwest Health Law Advocates           SHIBA HelpLine - Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (Separate Website) The Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) HelpLine is a special service of the Insurance Commissioner's Office that provides free health-insurance education, assistance, and advocacy for all Washington residents, including seniors and the disabled, in hundreds of communities around the state. SHIBA HelpLine volunteers and staff assist consumers with choices and problems involving private health insurance as well as many government programs (Medicare, Medicaid, Basic Health Plan, Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Washington State Health Insurance Pool). SHIBA HelpLine volunteers also are experts in Medigap coverage, employment-related health benefits, managed care, long-term care insurance, medical billings and fraud/abuse questions. By: WA State Office of the Insurance Commissioner           Prescription Medication - Rx Assistance (Separate Website) Provides information for those needing help paying for prescription medication.        back to top            ParentHelp123.org Benefit Finder (Separate Website) Using the Benefit Finder, families can learn if they may be eligible for free and low-cost health insurance and food assistance, and then complete their program applications on-line! By: WithinReach           DSHS Medical Programs for Kids Medical programs in Washington provide full medical and dental coverage for children whose families have incomes up to 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Read this publication to find out who qualifies. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский , Spanish / Español           Basic Health Plus - Medical Coverage for Children (Separate Website) Basic Health Plus is a Medicaid program for children in qualified households. If you are eligible for Basic Health your children may be eligible for Basic Health Plus. They must be under age 19 and U.S. citizens or legal residents who arrived in the U.S. on or before August 22 1996. If your children are not living in your household you may be able to enroll them in Basic Health but not Basic Health Plus. By: DSHS           Your Rights Under Healthy Options Healthy Options is the name of the Medicaid "managed care" program offered by the Department of Social and Health Services. Under Healthy Options you are enrolled in a health plan, such as Group Health, Regence Blue Shield, or CHPW. By: Northwest Health Law Advocates     Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский , Spanish / Español           Good News! The Children's Health Care Program is back in 2006 Medical coverage for children of low-income familes is available. By: Healthy Kids Now!     Read this in: Spanish / Español        back to top           Seniors and people with disabilities      QMB, SLMB, QI-1, and QDWI Programs: Help with Medicare Premiums, Deductibles Some people who get Medicare can qualify for help in paying the premiums and deductibles in the Medicare program. Qualifying for this help depends on your income and resources. If you have low income, you may be a Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) or a Special Low Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB). By: Northwest Health Law Advocates     Other Formats:   PDF File           Medicaid for Adults 65 and Older or Disabled Who Don't Get SSI The Medically-Needy (MN) program helps pay medical expenses for certain people who are 65 or older, and for certain younger disabled people. It's a program for people who don't get Medicaid coverage that comes with a cash grant from Supplemental Security Income (SSI), General Assistance, or another public assistance program. By: Columbia Legal Services     Read this in: Spanish / Español           Questions and Answers on the COPES Program COPES is a program that pays for personal care and other services for people in their own homes. COPES also pays for care in adult family homes, adult residential care facilities, and assisted living facilities. It is designed to help people who, without COPES, would need to be in nursing homes. By: Columbia Legal Services     Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Spanish / Español           Questions and Answers on Medicaid for Nursing Home Residents Medicaid is a government program that pays for medical services including nursing home care. It is administered by DSHS -- the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. To receive Medicaid payment for nursing home care, you must meet the financial eligibility requirements described in this publication. Also, you must need the care provided in a nursing home. By: Columbia Legal Services     Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Spanish / Español           Estate Recovery for Medical Services Paid for by the State The state has many programs that pay for medical services. The Medicaid program is one example. Under some of these programs and with important limitations, the estate recovery law allows the state to recover (to be paid back) the cost of the services it pays for. By: Columbia Legal Services     Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Spanish / Español           General Assistance Denial for Medical Reasons 7111EN - The General Assistance (GA, formerly GAU) program provides income and medical coverage if you are a citizen or eligible immigrant, you have income and resources within Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) rules, and you are "incapacitated." Incapacitated means you are unable to work due to physical or mental conditions (or both) that are expected to last at least 90 days. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский , Spanish / Español           How to Fight Your GAU Termination Due to Medical Improvement When you start getting General Assistance Unemployable (GAU) benefits, the local Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) welfare office uses the medical evidence that proves you are incapacitated (unable to work) to decide how soon they should review your case. After the review, they may send you a letter saying that they will terminate (stop) your benefits. This publication tells you what you can do if you disagree with their decision. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский , Spanish / Español           Questions and Answers on Living Wills A living will is a paper that tells your doctors or others providing your health care when you want them to stop life-sustaining medical treatment and let you die. A health care power of attorney allows someone you appoint to make medical-treatment decisions for you if you are no longer able to make them yourself. This publication contains general information and a Living Will form you may download. By: Columbia Legal Services     Other Formats:   Word File     Read this in: Spanish / Español           Benefits CheckUp (Separate Website) BenefitsCheckUp helps thousands every day to find programs for people ages 55 and over that may pay for some of their costs of prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other essential items or services. Please fill out our simple questionnaire to find programs that can assist you or your loved ones. By: National Council on the Aging        back to top           Hospital charity care      Charity Care: Medical Coverage for Hospital-Based Medical Services This publication is intended to answer common questions about the medical coverage program called "Charity Care"; the legal authority for this program is set forth in R.C.W. Ch. 70.170 and WAC Ch. 246-453 which should be available in your local library or on the internet. For information on other programs of medical coverage that may be available to low-income persons in the state of Washington see our publication How Can I Get Medical Coverage or Help with Medical Bills? By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Spanish / Español           How to Present a Charity Care Defense to a Lawsuit for Hospital Debt Collection This packet is intended to help you when you are being sued for hospital-based medical services which you would not owe if the hospital had correctly determined your eligibility for Charity Care. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Spanish / Español        back to top           Solving problems with DSHS      Applying for Public Assistance Information about the application process to receive public assistance. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский , Spanish / Español           What Are My Rights? Dealing with DSHS This publication lists services available by DSHS and your rights when dealing with this state agency. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский , Spanish / Español           DSHS Help for People with Disabilities: Necessary Supplemental Accomodations If you get DSHS benefits, such as TANF, SFA, GAU, Medicaid, or food assistance, DSHS must accommodate your disabilities. This means that DSHS must try to make their services and benefits available to you to the same extent that they are available to people without a disability. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File           How to Fight a Denial of DSHS Public Assistance This publication explains your rights if you apply for cash, food stamps, medical, or child care assistance from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and their office denies you benefits. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats: