Medicaid (SSI Link)

Medicaid is the joint federal and state health coverage program for people with limited income and resources, and for disability claimants it is closely tied to Supplemental Security Income. In most states, being approved for SSI automatically qualifies you for Medicaid, often with no separate application. A minority of states, sometimes called 209(b) states, apply their own slightly different criteria and require a separate Medicaid application.

Medicaid can begin as soon as SSI eligibility starts, which makes it critical for claimants who cannot wait out the 24-month Medicare waiting period that applies to SSDI. Work incentive rules, including section 1619(b), can let SSI recipients keep Medicaid even after earnings reduce their cash payment to zero.