FAQ@DLL
Keeping Your MA Coverage and Your
Job
by the Disability Linkage Line
Staff
Q: Can I keep my MA health care
coverage if I get a good paying job?
A: Health care is a
topic everyone seems to be talking about these days. We see it
on TV, read about it in the newspaper, and hear about it on the
radio. It’s also a frequently asked question at the
Disability Linkage Line (DLL).
With the dizzying array of health-care options, finding and keeping
adequate health- care coverage can be challenging. Often, people
with disabilities face additional challenges, like not having access
to employer-based insurance, pre-existing condition exclusions, or
policies with inadequate coverage to meet their medical needs.
The Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)
program may offer a solution. MA-EPD is a work incentive that allows
Minnesotans with disabilities to work and keep their health- care
coverage through Medical Assistance (MA). There is no upper income
limit for MA-EPD. People can earn as much money as they want, or
can, and stay on the program. This no-limit feature is meant to encourage
people to work to their full potential without the fear of losing
their health-care benefits.
To be eligible for MA-EPD you must:
• be a resident of MN between the ages of 16 and 64
• certified disabled by the Social Security Administration (SSA)
or the State Medical Review Team (SMRT)
• employed and paying Social Security and Medicare taxes
• earning more than $65 each month
• have assets of less than $20,000 (some assets are not counted,
including your home, one car and retirement accounts)
Even if you have been denied disability by the SSA solely because
of your earnings, you may still be determined disabled by the SMRT
and eligible for MA-EPD.
For those who do have private, group or employer-based insurance
but need additional coverage, you can keep that insurance and get
MA-EPD. Many services that are not covered by commercial policies
may be paid for by MA-EPD, such as mental- health services, personal
assistance and medical supplies and equipment.
MA-EPD has a monthly premium based on a sliding fee-scale or a minimum
of $35, whichever is greater. Applications are available at most
medical clinics and at any local county human service agency.
It is important to have the facts before making a decision about
what health-care coverage is right for you and your family. ![]()
If you have additional questions about telework, please call the
Disability Linkage Line at 1-866-333-2466. The DLL provides free,
disability-related information and assistance for Minnesotans. DLL
does not endorse any particular Web site or provider. They assume
no responsibility for transactions between the readers of this article
and listed organizations.
