Our daughter, diagnosed at age 9 and now aged 26, is looking to apply for health insurance in New York where she lives. The NY Medicaid site states she must apply for Medicare first, but according to the social security administration which manages Medicare, she does not have a disability. We know that the ADA amendment of 2008 establishes diabetes as a disability - its federal LAW!
So, as we begin the trek into the maelstrom of healthcare in the US, does anyone have advice for us? Should we start with the state marketplace for health care or push the SS admin to accept the federal law?
I think that the document that says that your daughter doesn’t qualify for Medicare is what the people at Medicaid need. When I applied I had to apply for unemployment and show that I didn’t qualify in order to be registered for Medicaid, even though I knew I didn’t qualify. Could that be the case? I’m not in NY so I’m not familiar with their public healthcare system.
Diabetes is not a disability category that makes one eligible for Medicare. Unless she is on SSI/SSDI for two years, in which case some certified disabled people (and this is unlikely for a type 1 dx) get automatically placed on Medicare, she would not qualify. Whatever entity administers NY Medicaid should know this information already.