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Limitations of Medicaid and other programs highlight the need to pursue all avenues for compensation.

Injured? Do Not Count on Medicaid to Cover Your Costs.The safety net of public assistance programs we have here in America is constantly under fire for being too costly. At least that is what those on the outside see. From the inside, many of these programs are woefully inadequate. Medicaid in particular seems designed to provide the least possible amount of coverage while also bringing burdensome income and asset limits that force disabled individuals to become poor and stay poor just to have their medical needs met.

Did you know that 10.1 million disabled individuals under age 65 have no other source of insurance besides Medicaid? Because Medicaid is run in partnership with state governments, these individuals can fare very differently depending on what state they find themselves in. Here in California, disabled individuals must liquidate all their assets except their home, their vehicle, and about $3,000 in cash or savings in order to qualify for Medi-Cal, our state’s version of Medicaid.

Many other states have lifted the asset caps on Medicaid due to the unjustifiable administrative costs involved in ferreting out disabled individuals’ meager savings. California has not only failed to lift the asset caps; we have not even updated them since 1989.

Individuals who manage to qualify for Medicaid may or may not get all their needs covered. Big-ticket items like wheelchair vans and major home accessibility renovations are not covered, and given the asset and income limits placed on Medi-Cal recipients, it can be all but impossible to save for these items without the intervention of friends and family.

Do Not Depend on Medicaid

If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, you need to think very carefully before you decide how to proceed. It is vital to ensure that your medical needs and living expenses will be provided for—and you cannot count on Medicaid to do it for you.

Your best move is to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney such as Fernando D. Vargas right away after your accident. Attorney Vargas can help document your injuries as well as connect you with medical experts and financial planners that can help estimate the total cost of your future medical care and other necessities, so that you have an accurate number to focus on when negotiating with the insurance company or attorney representing the person who injured you.