Each and every state has a Medicaid program. Individual states administer their Medicaid program in different ways, and this is very evident if you take a look at some of their websites. In Illinois, people can use a One Stop portal to apply for Medicaid. It is where to start no matter which part of the Medicaid program you are applying for.
Medicaid is a public, or government run, health insurance program. It is designed to provide affordable health insurance coverage for individuals and families who are low-income, and who cannot afford to purchase a health plan from a private insurance company. Medicaid is funded, in part, by the federal government. It is also funded by the government of an individual state.
In Illinois, the Medicaid program is administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS). It is responsible for providing healthcare coverage for adults and children who qualify for Medicaid. It also provides Child Support Service to ensure that children in Illinois get financial support from both parents.
To apply for Medicaid in Illinois, a person starts with the Illinois Healthcare Portal website. This is where to begin no matter what part of the state’s Medicaid program you are applying for. Individuals who are seniors, veterans, or who have a disability start here. So do women who are pregnant and parents who want to have their children covered by Medicaid.
The first drop-down box corresponds to the phrase: “I need healthcare. I am a…”. Choose from: parent or child, senior, woman, man, veteran, person with a disability or person with special needs. The second drop-down box corresponds to: “I need prescription drug coverage”. Choose from either Rx Buying Club or AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
The next drop-down box asks a person to select from the many Special Programs that are offered through Medicaid in Illinois. The last drop-down box is connected to Health Programs. There are several. After a person has made choices from all of these drop-down boxes, the Department of Health and Family Services will guide you through the options that you might be eligible for.
I’ve been doing a series of blogs about the Medicaid programs of different states. Each one does things a little bit differently than the rest. Illinois is the only state I have seen that makes it very easy to discover the Medicaid programs (and other state programs) that are available to people who are veterans. Every state should be putting in an effort to make people aware of these types of programs.
Image by Tripp on Flickr