Can anything be done for my dad who still needs help but gets too much SSI to qualify for in-home support services?

I too was cut off from ihss in Feb.2016.I'm still disabled &still need help,but the State says NO! I just do the best,I can. I'm really broke down now. I can barely walk. I have help for my husband from the VA.,6 days a week. The worst thing is having to pay big money for my prescriptions!! That really cut into our food money. There are short term resources out there,but you have to find them & be patient. This getting old is for the birds!! I pray to GOD a lot. Well,good luck,& GOD BLESSES. Pattiblue

I just remembered that Ohio Medicaid has a department called member matters. Have you tried calling Medi-Cal back and asking for member matters and telling supervisors what you have been through? Also mentioned that you're on the verge of dropping Medi-Cal because of everything and also offer to send them copies of proof of any hearings you head over this. Definitely keep all of your records in an important court documents envelope. Also, it sounds like dropping Medi-Cal and getting a different insurance is definitely a good idea. Perhaps everyone on the program should drop them to send a strong message and just go ahead and get a separate insurance. At least this will give the Medi-Cal company a chance to straighten everything out and simplify things for the workers

Okay I have just finished the run around of run arounds with Medi Cal. I will try to make this short. I am 64 and disabled and have been on Medi Cal for about 10 years which I needed for my medications at the time. In 2015 my daughter who lives with me and is an unemployed student fell in my kitchen and broke her knee cap, so I had to put her on Medi Cal for her surgery and medical.

My daughter was told a year later that her income of $1400 a month was too high and she was cut off. The problem is she is unemployed, the $1400 was my disability payment which is my sole income.

This triggered a nightmare! I took about 6 months to clear up the mistake on my daughter but at the same time they began taking everything away from me and saying I had a Share of Cost of $908 a month! I said "WHAT, that cannot be true I have been on disability for about 10 years and always qualified for extra help with no share of cost!"

I asked for a Hearing and was told yep you have to pay $908 before we will pitch in a dime! I kept researching to find out what happened and was finally told by a young woman at Medi Cal that they had messed up my coverage and had put me on the Magi program which I cannot be on because I am disabled, she also told me that it automatically did away with any other benefits I had previously had. I asked her if she could correct it but she said all she could do was pass on the message to my case worker.

I went to a second Hearing and was told that I did NOT HAVE A SHARE OF COST! Yipee I was happy, it was back where it was suppose to be. That lasted for a minute as my case worker stuck his nose back in my case and I found myself in his office arguing my case AGAIN...BECAUSE HE REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE FINDINGS OF THE HEARING SPECIALIST and continued to argue that I DID HAVE A $908 A MONTH SHARE OF COST!!!

I WAS FORCED TO GO BACK TO A THIRD HEARING!!! This time I told them I wanted someone who knew what the ---- they were doing and I wanted my case worker changed. I got a young woman who went over everything a THIRD TIME and I was told I DID HAVE A $908 A MONTH SHARE OF COST. I argued asking how this could possibly be as I had been on this for 10 years with no SHARE OF COST. Their answer was "There was a previous error!" To that I say BS but I have not way of knowing what was going on, they don't even know and cannot understand their computer system!! I was angry and frustrated to say the least!

I was then told that the only way I could get around this was to purchase insurance OUTSIDE OF MEDI CAL FOR VISION AND DENTAL AND IT HAD TO COST AT LEAST $51 A MONTH!!!

I told the young woman that this was crazy, I was trying to care for myself and my daughter and pay for our home and food and utilities and I was having difficulty making it on $1400 a month and here they were now deducting $135 a month for my Medicare and now they wanted me to spend an additional $51 a month for Dental and Vision? How was I suppose to live? They did not care, it was not them. I debated dropping Medi Cal entirely and was told not to, just in case I had an accident or some other emergency.
This is actually spending down your income, we decided to just eat two meals a day and hopefully we can make it through until my daughter graduates and gets a job.

Last week I got a letter from Social Security telling me that the State of California is going to pay the $135 monthly cost for Medicare because my income is so low. I am happy and confused and a bit frightened as I have visions of a FOURTH HEARING COMING!

I know there is a way for you to get past this SHARE OF COST but unfortunately it WILL COST YOU MONEY TO DO IT! I absolutely understand your frustration!! I still get upset just thinking about it! Do seek legal help if this continues. If I have to go back to another HEARING I too am going to seek legal assistance...It seems that Medi Cal has become so confusing that not even the employees understand it!!! Actually the doctors don't understand it either, I worked for doctors doing insurance billing and those chose to just write off the balance rather than worry with Medi Cal and all the hoops you are forced to jump through!

I am guessing you are talking about his Share of Cost (SOC). He may be able to qualify for full scope services if he has additional medical expenses such as premiums for supplemental insurance, or other insurance or medical expenses. Ask medi-cal if that is an option. Or call your local legal services or area on aging for a review if his benefits.

What he can do if he's not a veteran is take his own money and start paying for some of his own care instead of having to return a big chunk of his money that he needs. Don't fall for a spend down that requires you to give back any portion of your money just to get Medicaid. My local human services tried to pull that on me years ago when I didn't have Medicaid for a time but I wouldn't fall for it, I'm not stupid! I didn't just fall from the turd wagon yesterday, I told them I need all of my money. I went uninsured for about five years approximately because I didn't really require any care anyway for a good many years. It actually worked out for the better anyway as it turned out. Let me tell you, no one in their right mind will ever give up everything to go on these programs. You don't go from riches down to rags, you use what you have and take care of yourself and your needs. Years later, I ended up eventually getting my Medicaid back and I really enjoyed life to its fullest as much as I possibly could with what I had at that time. I wouldn't worry about what I have, the governments' goal is to actually get people off those programs anyway because they're really for the poor and not for the rich. Imagine a life without having to worry about poverty, it's wonderful! I actually came from a wealthy family but unfortunately they were greedy and never provided for their kids. I wouldn't really worry about Medicaid if the elderly patient really doesn't need it, leave it for someone who really needs it and let the elderly patient use their own savings to pay for their own care. Anyone on federal benefits can even open a new cable account. These are pretty new and designed specifically for people on benefits such as SSI. You have a much higher limit you can save you otherwise wouldn't have. There are about 10 different qualified expenses you can use your funds for from your able account, one of them is paying for care that Medicaid won't cover

I was also cut off from ihss.The county wanted $1592 a month(medi-cal) keep my benefits. Now, Im having a very difficult time doing anything! I cannot afford to pay anyone,so I know the feeling.Now,SS sent papers with the wrong benefit amount& they also say that 3 ppl live in our small apt..I don't know how much longer I can continue without a worker.Also, I have to go to the SS office to straighten out the added benefit amounts in my records!!! God's Blessings to you...

My husband is a veteran and I was lucky to get him into a VA facility. They take 90% of his income from all sources so I know the panic feeling of "how am I going to manage". I am so relieved that he is in a safe memory unit and I saw no issues that would concern me. They have enough staff, the unit was bright and I saw my husband smile as he was getting a hair cut. This is the first time in 8 months that I felt relief. The cost is high but less than the average 7 to 8 thousand a month in this area and also being told I would have to also hire a "sitter" for him. I was able to find a sitter from HomeCare for $19 an hour while he was in rehab for a hip replacement. Hang in there, pay a visit to a Social Services office near you. Take care of yourself too!

Is your Dad a Veteran?
If so he may qualify for services through the VA. Worth a call to find out. And if he does qualify they can help in so many ways form in home service to Respite and supplies and medications.