MEDICAID NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

MEDICAID SHOULD BE IMPROVED

Why good retirement plans are necessary

Recently a retiree and HCAO activist called me.  She was concerned about her long term care options in the near future.  She thought she might apply for Medicaid.  We all know that Medicare does not cover long term care, but Medicaid does.

We are looking into the matter.  What we have found out so far is the following:

Oregon is kinder than other States; in other states you cannot own a home to be eligible for Medicaid.  In Oregon your home, that you have worked for all your life, is not counted as an asset.  So you can not only own your own home but also a car and still be eligible for Medicaid.

However, to qualify for Medicaid and thus be able to enter a long term care facility and have it covered, you cannot have more than $2000 in assets.  That’s right not more than $2000 in your bank account, your IRA, stocks, or bonds. Your PERS retirement account does not count as an asset. But it counts as income. And, realize that long term care facilities do not have to accept Medicaid.

Income cannot not exceed 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), which is $2147/mo. for an individual.

As PERS retirees with Social Security income, you probably exceed the FPL and will not be eligible for Medicaid assistance for a long term care facility.

But it brings to question, will your PERS annuity and your Social Security be enough to take care of you if you need to enter a long term care facility?

It also accentuates the importance of decent retirement programs like PERS and IRA’s.  And the importance of your Union to secure those benefits in bargaining and lobbying your legislators. Those legislators in Oregon and across the nation need to assure the workers who have delivered the products for this country with their minds and bodies have a life of decency and respect upon retirement.

Keep in mind that the Oregon Legislature dropped all eligibility requirements except income (FPL) during the pandemic. This increased the people receiving OHP (Oregon Health Plan i.e. Medicaid) from 900,000 to 1.2 million recipients. Now, the OHA and the Legislature has created a committee to determine how to ween people off of OHP.

So, eligibility requirements and the rest of the program can be changed with political will.

Health Care for All Oregon is leading the way to bring publicly funded health care to everyone.