Health Care Go Bag

What You Need To Help Keep Your Child Healthy

"All people, including people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD), should have timely access to high quality, comprehensive, accessible, affordable, appropriate health care that meets their individual needs, maximizes health, well-being and function, and increases independence and community participation."

To read more of The Arc’s Position Statement on Health Care click HERE.

Health Insurance

The Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Enactment of health care reform, known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), is the most significant law for people with disabilities since the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. It brings about comprehensive reforms that will benefit Americans with disabilities by prohibiting discrimination based on health status and improving access to care. Read The Arc’s in-depth guide for advocates on the ACA, and read a one page summary of the guide for a shorter version. To learn more about the how the ACA works and how it will benefit all Americans watch this short video.

Other ACA Resources

National Policy Matters – The Affordable Care Act: What Disability Advocates Need to Know
National Policy Matters – What To Consider When Enrolling in a Health Insurance Plan

Medicaid
Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities. Medicaid is administered by states, according to federal requirements. The program is funded jointly by states and the federal government.

Medicaid eligibility is also an eligibly requirement to receive services from the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities. For more information and a list of additional Medicaid resources, visit DDD’s website.

Aged, Blind, Disabled Medicaid Application Tutorial (Also known as NJ Family Care). This video will walk you through the new application process for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Programs.

Medicare
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD). The different parts of Medicare help cover specific services:

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)
Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans)
Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage)

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) offer personalized counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families.

Division of Aging Services Universal Application (UA1) - By filling out the Universal Application, you could some or all of the following benefits if you are eligible:

Prescription assistance programs (PAAD or Senior Gold)
Utility assistance programs (Lifeline Utility Credit Program or Tenants Lifeline Assistance Program, Universal Service Fund (USF), Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Medicare Savings programs ( SLMB or SLMB QI1) which pay Medicare Part B premium payments
Hearing Aid Assistance Program for the Aged and Disabled
Medicare Part D premium payments if PAAD eligible
Medicare Part D wrap-around cost payments, such as co-payments, co-insurance, and deductibles, if PAAD or Senior Gold eligible
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Voter registration information

National Medicare Education Week

Dual Eligible
Some people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. For more information the 2016 Medicare Part D Changes for Persons Who Have Both Medicare and Medicaid (Dual Eligible), click HERE.