KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, LouisianaNew Coverage
January 12, 2004
Reported by KPLC Staff
A state program launched this month will allow people with mental, physical or developmental disabilities to enter the work force without fear of losing their government health insurance.
The Medicaid purchase program will allow anyone with a disability that meets Social Security standards and a job that pays as much as $1,871 a month to keep their Medicaid coverage through a buy-in program established last year by the Legislature.
State health Secretary David Hood says the program is needed because many people with disabilities are able to work but are reluctant to so because they don't want to jeopardize their Medicaid coverage by earning too much money to qualify.
Under the buy-in provision, people who earn between one-thousand-123 dollars to one-thousand-871 dollars a month will be required to pay a small, sliding-scale premium and be willing to accept other health insurance coverage if it's offered by their employers.
For information or an application, call toll free, 888-544-7996.
