Eligibility for government assistance (USA)

amother

Emerald

Thu, Apr 16 2015, 12:23 am

I did a little google searching before posting this but would like to verify with real people, also I didn't check every location/detail... It seems that medicaid and food stamps eligibility are based on federal poverty guidelines, and in a couple of states that I looked up it seems to be the same for each one even though the cost of living is very different. Is that right?

For example, I currently live in NY, make barely enough to cover rent on a tiny apartment and basic expenses, receive food stamps and medicaid, and am always worried about the limit on that because I want to better my life by trying to earn more but if I earn above the cutoff then I'm sunk because if I can barely afford life as it is then I certainly can't afford to pay more for food and medical expenses. Here, I am genuinely poor.

If I made exactly the same amount of money out of town (which in itself is unlikely because my profession pays better in NY, it all goes together, but just theoretically speaking for now) I could have a house or much more spacious apartment, probably have change left over to buy clothes or convenience items or whatever, not live at all poorly relevant to what I have now, and still qualify for medicaid and food stamps?

Well, first of all I think that makes no sense and local average cost of living should definitely factor in to eligibility for assistance (30k/year is a LOT poorer in NYC than in some random midwestern suburb, especially since these things are based on the general population that gets public education and no 5-figure day school tuition bills) But second thought: if this is true, GOODBYE NY! OK I would have to work harder to net the same income but at least that income could sustain me. We're sliding down a hole here.

amother

Emerald

Sun, Apr 19 2015, 10:42 pm

Yes that is the point of my post, I am looking into moving to one of those places or similar, but I want to know whether you can get a higher quality of life while still getting government assistance. I am worried that if the cutoff is lower then we will be stuck in the same rut we're in in NY. But if the cutoff is the same while the cost of living is lower, then we can theoretically have the same income (realistically not likely to happen since salary will probably be lower too) but afford a better home and other things while still receiving government help.

Please don't bash me for this reliance on assistance, it is a temporary measure while one of us is unable to work for a few years. We are not robbing the government, we are working as hard as we can but in NY it is not enough to make ends meet because if we make even a little more we won't qualify for aid, and if we don't qualify for aid then we need to come up with another thousand or so a month to pay for those expenses, but the amount we're making now is not enough to cover rent on even a small apartment for our family size and childcare. So the only solution is to move, but moving is only a solution if we can still get the govt programs.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 10:05 am

Some things do differ by state, I think certain states take farming expenses or something like that into account? Or maybe they just add on extra money, but qualifications are the same? Tuition is never a factor in this, because we're all supposed to send to public school Wink

Do note that if living expenses are CHEAPER you may not qualify or get less, and it goes by mortgage (or rent) only, not property tax if you buy.

Feel free to PM me as I have some firsthand experience with this.

SRS

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 10:26 am

I think you have a lot of things to consider regarding a move to figure out the big picture. Government benefits might be a small part of the picture. Transportation is a big issue if you don't have a car. Carpooling is practically a sport and a car is a near necessity. NY Transplants have a very tough transition figuring out how to carpool and have 2 full time working parents. I'm not sure if you are single income or double, but you mentioned childcare. Very little government aid flows through schools, so tuition can be more demanding. There are scholarships, but the process is very inconsistent at least were I live. I have NY family that paid basically nothing for childcare, $4-$6 per hour. I can't speak for the places listed, but I think you would be hard pressed to find childcare at NY prices.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 10:43 am

A lot really depends on locale. I know of an OOT community with a much higher COL than where I live and there are cheaper babysitting options than where I am. On the other hand, our school is also a legal daycare for 2-4 yos so someone who qualifies for childcare vouchers would do better. (But if you don't, it's not cheap at all.)

amother

Emerald

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 4:51 pm

Thank you to those who replied.

HY I will PM you a little later, thanks. We are definitely not ready to buy so property tax at least isn't an issue...

I have never heard of $4-6 childcare in NY, at least not within the past decade or more. Most babysitters take $10, some more. Preschool is a little cheaper per hour depending where you go, but limited to their hours.

Carpooling sounds like a pain, thanks for the warning!

NY keeps looking better and better, until I see the ends not meeting, and then I think I should take on more work hours which is very feasible, but then I remember that more work hours = more income = no medicaid/SNAP = more expenses = same no money situation or possibly a little worse. Because while I can take on more work for a few hundred a month, I can't take on enough work to cover medical and food in addition to our current borderline deficit. And that's all without even moving to a place that can accommodate our family. We are still in our "newlywed apartment."

mha3484

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 5:57 pm

I think COL matters in that when it is lower, you might not feel the need to avail yourself of as much help. An example. In my large midwestern city my rent for a decent sized 2 bedroom apartment is $900 a month plus another $200 in utilities. In NY that apartment would be 2k? The extra 900 I save on rent can go towards food, gas, insurance, childcare etc. Our combined income in my city is livable with a little breathing room. I can not imagine living off this in NYC. You have to look at your spending over all and see how moving would lower those expenses than take that number and compare it to your current budget including the goverment assistance.

Amarante

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 6:00 pm

You should check into what the actual cost to you would be if you got medical insurance through the NY Exchange. It's pretty easy to set up an account and plug your figures into it and get your net cost.

Many people find that the subsidies they receive towards the premiums makes health insurance very affordable. Last year I worked with people who were transitioning and the net cost after the tax credit can be quite small.

Also, and many people don't realize this, but if you opt for a Silver Plan and you are eligible for subsidies, the deductibles and co-payments aren't applicable. There is a sliding scale based on income.

One should work with an experienced insurance broker to maximize the savings. I hadn't realized about the Silver Plan savings until I read about it this year.

At least in California, where I am located, people would prefer not to be on Medicaid because the choice of doctors is so much more limited than regular insurance but that is different in different areas. Many people lied about their income being HIGHER so that they wouldn't be forced into Medicaid but could get the subsidized regular health insurance.

amother

Navy

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 6:55 pm

I live in Texas and I know it is very hard to get benefits here. I was on FS in NY and was not eligible here. In NY they do not look at your assets (at least a few years ago that's how it was) but here in Texas they do. So they look at how much your house is worth, your car, and any money you have in the bank.
I will say that I find the children's Medicaid program here much easier to work with and it includes many top doctors and hospitals - which I did not find as easily in New York.

The COL where I live is much lower than in New York but we are still struggling. However, I also see that what I am getting for my money is much greater. For example you can pay $1500+ rent on an apartment in NY and here get a 3 bedroom house with a yard for the same price.

So I think you also have to consider quality of life, not just the COL

amother

Wheat

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 10:38 pm

amother wrote:

now that's funny. We lived in TX last year and were on Medicaid, and it was a nightmare. NOBODY took it....NOBODY. I've never lived in NY, but my sister who does tells me it's a lot better there.

Are you on CHIP or Medicaid?