Tip: Earn too much? Medicaid program helps

Medicaid helps the poor and disabled pay their medical bills, but even if your income is higher than the program's eligibility limit, you still may be able to get help.

The Medicaid Excess Income Program is available to New York residents 65 or older or anyone who is disabled, blind, pregnant or a parent of a child younger than 21. You must meet all the requirements for Medicaid eligibility with one exception: Your income can be above the Medicaid limit of $767 a month for a single person, $1,117 a month for a couple. However, you must "spend down" the income above that level on medical expenses. Once you do, Medicaid will pay the rest of your medical bills. This does not include nursing-home costs, which are subject to different and more stringent spend-down rules.

As an illustration, consider a 66-year-old single person with monthly income of $1,000 and monthly medical bills of $500. She would not qualify for Medicaid because her income is $233 above the limit. But once she spends her excess income (the $233) on medical costs, Medicaid will pay the rest ($267).

Among the bills that can be applied to the excess income spend down:

Visits to physicians, dentists and optometrists.

Transportation to and from medical appointments.

Therapists, nurses and home-care aides, if ordered by a doctor.

Co-payments and deductibles for Medicare and private insurance.

Medical supplies, hearing aids and eyeglasses.

You cannot count any costs paid by Medicare or private health insurance.

Keep in mind a single person cannot have "countable assets" of more than $13,800 ($20,100 for a couple) to be eligible for Medicaid. Countable assets typically include savings accounts, stocks, bonds and mutual funds but do not include your home, household goods, your car or any IRAs from which you are receiving distributions (although the distributions may count as income). A Medicaid caseworker will determine your monthly excess income amount and your countable assets.

For more information on the Excess Income Program, go to nyhealth.gov and type "excess income" in the search box.

Because Medicaid is administered by the counties, you can get more information from your local Department of Social Service. In Nassau, call 516-227-8000. In eastern Suffolk, call 631-852-3710 and in western Suffolk call 631-853-8730.