What is Medicaid?
Medicaid is a State and Federally funded health care coverage plan providing health care coverage to eligible low income and medically vulnerable people of all ages. Medicaid provides health care coverage to a number of different groups based on financial need. There are a number of different medicaid programs and each has its own eligibility criteria. The following is a list of programs with a brief description of each:

Healthy Start and Healthy Families.
This program is focused on coverage for children, families and pregnant women. For more information about this program click here.

Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD).
Adults 65 years of age and older, or legally blind individuals or Disabled individuals of any age (as classified by the Social Security Administration) may qualify for Medicaid. In addition to the usual Medicaid covered services, ABD Medicaid also provides payment for long term care services in nursing homes as well as Intermediate Care Facilities for the mentally retarded.

Home Care Waiver and Passport Waiver Medicaid.
These programs are designed to provide Medicaid coverage in addition to Home health services to individuals who meet the Level of Care, required to live in a nursing home, yet remain at home. Passport Medicaid is for individuals age 60 and older

Home Care Waiver Medicaid is for individuals age 59 and younger.The Home Care Waiver Medicaid program is currently under transition. Between January 2004 and April 2004, this program will be divided into 3 distinct waiver categories: Personal Care Waiver, Child Day Health Care and Nursing Respite Care. Each category will have differing eligibility requirements

Spend Down Medicaid.
Spend Down Medicaid is for individuals with disabilities or age 65 or older who meet the Medicaid eligibility requirements, except that their income is too high. Individuals eligible for Spend Down Medicaid are required to either pay in the amount of their spend down or incur medical expenses in the amount of their spend down. The spend down is the amount by which that the individual exceeds the income criteria after allowable deductions. Once the individual pays in or incurs expenses in that amount they become eligible for a Medicaid card for that month.   

Medicare Premium Assistance Program.
Individuals with low incomes who are eligible for Medicare can receive help with all or part of their Medicare part A/B premiums, co-payments and/or deductibles. Different levels of assistance are available depending on income.

Breast and Cervical Cancer Medicaid (BCCP Medicaid)
Medicaid is available to women who have been screened for breast or cervical cancer through the Ohio Department of Health's Breast & Cervical Cancer Prevention Project, and are found to be in need of treatment for breast and/or cervical cancer including precancerous conditions. In order to qualify, women need to be uninsured and meet the basic Medicaid eligibility requirements. Women who do qualify will rceive full Medicaid coverage. To access more information about this program you can visit the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Breast and Cervical Cancer Medicaid project.

How to Apply

Medicaid Consumer Hotline