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Due to budget cuts, Michigan’s Medicaid program has begun limiting coverage for certain medical expenses for all adult beneficiaries age 21 or older, which includes, obviously, seniors receiving nursing home Medicaid coverage. Effective July1, 2009, Medicaid will not pay for services from certain types of medical service providers.
As of July 1st, Michigan’s Medicaid program will not pay for services from the following providers for Medicaid beneficiaries age 21 or older:
Chiropractors – all services provided by a Chiropractor will not be covered.
Podiatrists – all services provided by a Podiatrist will not be covered.
Vision Services – routine eye exams, eye glasses, contact lenses, and other vision supplies and services will not be covered. Eye exams will be covered if you hurt your eye or have an eye disease.
Hearing Aid Dealers – hearing aids will not be covered. If a hearing aid has already been ordered for you, Medicaid may still pay for it. You should check with your hearing aid provider to find out if Medicaid will still pay for your hearing aid.
Dentists – dental services will only be covered for emergencies (treatment of pain or infection). Routine dental exams, cleanings, fillings, dentures, or other non-emergency services will not be covered. If you have dental work that has been started, but not completed (such as dentures), Medicaid may pay to finish the work after July 1, 2009. Your dentist’s office will know whether the services you need are ones that Medicaid will cover.
Medicaid will still pay for a Medicaid beneficiary’s doctor’s visits, hospital services, nursing home care, medicines, and many other services.
However, these changes illustrate the need for someone who may need to apply for Medicaid to engage in proper Medicaid Planning, before their assets are completely depleted by their care costs. Failure to do so will leave them with no assets to pay for non-covered, and often necessary, expenses. Equally important will be the selection and/or retention of a Medicare supplement which can provide coverage for such medical services.
