There are changes to the physical qualification standards for people qualifying for Medicaid in Oklahoma. These changes will go into effect on October 1, 2015. If you know of someone who needs nursing home care, or if you anticipate such a need in your immediate family, you should review these qualifications.
From an email I received from Travis Smith, Assistant General Counsel to OK DHS.
“Oklahoma will stop being a § 209b state on 10/1/15, and will begin using SSI rules to determine Medicaid eligibility for people who are aged, blind, or disabled (ABD).
In most states, a person found eligible for SSI is automatically eligible for Medicaid and does not have to file a separate Medicaid application. These states, called “1634 states,” have an agreement with the Social Security Administration, which makes SSI eligibility determinations, to also determine Medicaid eligibility.
Oklahoma is not becoming a 1634 state. An ABD person will not automatically receive Medicaid if they receive an SSI payment. They will still have to apply for Medicaid with DHS and have their eligibility recertified every year. For people applying for Long-Term Care, such as nursing home or ADvantage services, DHS will still determine if the person is medically eligible.”
As a reminder, there are basically three tests to qualify for SoonerCare services: 1. Physical need (the determination of which is what is being changed); 2. Resource availability; 3. Income limitations.