Insurance Agent Forum

[salpro22]

One of my old military buddies contacted me today to help him sort some things out for his mother.

His mother has not had health insurance coverage for over a year now. She is 55 years old, lives in Howard County (Kokomo City, Indiana) and recently became certified as disabled.

She recently applied for Medicaid and has not been approved. I do know she is eligible for Medicare after being certified as disabled for 2 years. She has been diagnosed with having Fibromyalgia.

I'd like to know what her options are in Indiana to obtain health insurance due to her pre-existing conditions. I don't work that market, but I doubt any insurance carriers would cover that condition.

Thanks....

-J.R.

[senior-advisor-indiana]

I usually set people up on a Medicare Advantage plan if they are on disability. But if she got her Part B medicare in the last 6 months she would be in Open Enrollment for a supplement. She could use the cost of the supplement for her spend down. Then she might be able to qualify for medicaid.
If she can't qualify for medicaid and can't afford a supplement then she would probably be better off on a MA. Some love them, some hate them. My clients that are on them love them. I get more referrals for them than I do supplements.

[senior-advisor-indiana]

Now that I have looked at howard county it seems she will be better with a med supp. Today's Options cost $90, Coventry isn't there and I wouldn't look to any other ones. Secure Horizons is way too much out of pocket. I'll look to see who all offers disability med supps there and exactly what the prices are.

[salpro22]

Im under the impression that she isn't eligible for medicare due to her age and the fact that she only recently became disabled? Am I missing something or have they lowered the age requirements.

[Newby]

Originally Posted by salpro22

One of my old military buddies contacted me today to help him sort some things out for his mother.

His mother has not had health insurance coverage for over a year now. She is 55 years old, lives in Howard County (Kokomo City, Indiana) and recently became certified as disabled.

She recently applied for Medicaid and has not been approved. I do know she is eligible for Medicare after being certified as disabled for 2 years. She has been diagnosed with having Fibromyalgia.

I'd like to know what her options are in Indiana to obtain health insurance due to her pre-existing conditions. I don't work that market, but I doubt any insurance carriers would cover that condition.

Thanks....

-J.R.

If she has too many countable assets she is allowed to buy cemetery property, headstone and prepay her funeral into an irrevocable funeral trust also. This exempts those assets from counting for Medicaid and helps many people qualify.

Cash value life insurance will disqualify her if the cash value amount and all her other assets combined total over $2,000.

[senior-advisor-indiana]

Oh sorry Salpro, I thought you meant she was already eligible for medicare. She does have to be on disability for 2 years before she is eligible for medicare.

[senior-advisor-indiana]

You should talk to a major med guy about that. Not my expertise.