Both adults and children receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for their disability or blindness are technically eligible to receive Medicaid, but whether or not they’ll automatically receive it depends where they reside. SSI and Medicaid are programs intended to provide financial assistance to those who are not able to perform Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) for employment and can’t afford the cost of living alone.
In some states, an approved application for SSI automatically includes Medicaid. In other regions, the beneficiary would have to make two separate applications for SSI and Medicaid with different, stricter eligibility criteria.
States Where SSI Recipients Are Automatically Enrolled In Medicaid
SSI is determined using national standard criteria, while Medicaid eligibility varies by state. The majority of states in the U.S. automatically enroll an SSI beneficiary in Medicaid once approved due to their disability. These states include:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
States Where SSI Recipients Are Not Automatically Eligible For Medicaid
Other states have a different Medicaid agency with a separate established set of criteria than SSI that warrants a separate application. These states do not automatically include enrollment in Medicaid when approved for SSI benefits, and have more restricted income, resources, and disability requirements for Medicaid, making it harder to receive than SSI. Some SSI recipients who apply separately for Medicaid in these states may be denied.
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Virginia
Need Help Navigating SSI or Medicaid?
If you or a loved one was denied SSI, Medicaid, or both, you have the right to repeal that decision. Every day, disabled Americans are unlawfully denied SSD, SSI, and Medicaid and have to put up a fight to get the benefits they deserve. Statistics show that you have a greater chance of approval for benefits if you work with a Social Security Disability Attorney, so don’t hesitate to contact Disability Attorneys of Michigan for your case as soon as possible. Attorney Peter Goss has experience in Social Security Disability spanning over a decade and approaches every case with determination and compassion, working tirelessly to help reward you the disability benefits you deserve. Do you or a loved one have an SSD case? Submit an inquiry form on our website today or call our office at 816-888-5000 for a free legal consultation today.