Social Security Disability and Medical Bills
I’m often asked if Social Security will pay medical bills for claimants. If your application or appeal for Social Security disability is approved, then you may be eligible for state or federal health insurance, which may pay some of your medical bills.
Title II “Regular” Disability Insurance Benefits
If you are approved for Title II disability insurance benefits, then you are eligible for federal Medicare benefits. However, the coverage for Medicare does not begin until 2 years and 5 months after the date you are found disabled. For example, if you are approved for Title II and you are found disabled as of January 1, 2010, then you are not eligible for Medicare until June 1, 2012. Medicare health insurance would begin covering your medical bills from that date forward.
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, Claims
In Title XVI (16) Supplemental Security Income or SSI claims, you are eligible for state Medicaid benefits instead of Medicare. Unlike in Title II claims, there is no waiting period for Medicaid. A disabled claimant is eligible for Medicaid benefits as of the disability onset date. Thus, if you are awarded back benefits, you may be able to go back and submit any bills from your disability onset date forward to Medicaid. For example, let’s say you applied for SSI on January 1, 2010, and are approved on January 1, 2011. If you had any medical bills between January 1, 2010, and the present, then you can submit all of those bills to Medicaid for payment.