The Basics

Everybody should have health coverage so that they can visit the doctor or get medications. It used to be that a lot of people, especially people with disabilities, couldn’t afford health coverage or even qualify for it. Now, that’s changed: there’s a health coverage option for almost everybody, even if you have a disability.

This article introduces your most likely health coverage options:

• Medicaid, a government program which is free if you have low income, whether or not you have a disability.
• Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (AABD) Medicaid, another way to qualify for free if you have a disability, low income, and low resources.
• Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities (HBWD), which lets you get Medicaid coverage if you have a disability, you work, and your income or resources are too high for you to get AABD Medicaid.
• Medicare, which you get if you have a disability or are retired, if you or a family member has worked long enough while paying Medicare taxes.
• Employer-sponsored coverage, which your employer or a family member’s employer helps you pay for.
• Individual coverage, which you pay for yourself, possibly with the help of government subsidies.

All of these coverage options have:

• Clearly defined services they cover, including most of the physical and mental health needs you may have. For private insurance, all Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant plans must cover Essential Health Benefits. Medicare’s coverage is comparable, while Medicaid offers some additional benefits, like personal assistance services, if you need them.
• Payments you must make. Typically, payments for private insurance are highest and the fees for Medicaid are lowest. Your payments may include:
  • Premiums, a monthly payment you must make whether or not you use any medical services. (Medicaid usually has no premium.)
  • Copayments, a set amount you have to pay for a medical visit or service. The amount of the copayment depends on the service you get.
  • Co-insurance, a set percentage of the cost of a visit or service that you must pay.
  • A deductible, a set amount of money that you pay out of your own pocket each year before the insurance company begins to pay for certain services. Once you have paid the deductible, you do not have to pay it again until the next calendar year.
• An out-of-pocket maximum, which is the most you would have to spend on copayments, co-insurance, and deductibles combined. That means you never have to spend more than $9,450 if you’re single or $18,900 for a family on these expenses.
  • Medicare is an exception: It does not always have an out-of-pocket maximum.

None of these coverage options:

• Have annual or lifetime limits on how much you can get in benefits. No matter how much medical care your insurance has to pay for, they can’t stop paying for care you need.
• Can discriminate against you because you have a disability. They cannot deny you coverage, charge you more, or refuse to pay for certain types of treatment because you have a pre-existing condition.

Read the rest of this article to discover which coverage is right for you and how to sign up.