Medicaid: How To Apply For

Before going to the Medicaid office for your interview:

• Read about the documents to take with you in the section above.
• Read Making a Friend Given the reputation of eligibility workers at Medicaid agencies, this could be your greatest challenge - or opportunity. You will hopefully not be put off by an unfriendly attitude and will try to make the interview as pleasant as possible for both of you. It is worth an attempt to be understanding of the thankless job the interviewer must do. Keep in mind that this person is a government employee who is encouraged to follow the rules and not think too creatively. The person works in an environment that can be unpleasant, and is frequently put upon by a demanding and less than truthful public.

When you are ready to to the Medicaid office:

• Take plenty of reading material and food to sustain you. Expect to spend the day. Although you probably won't be there the entire day, you don't want to have another appointment pressuring you while you wait.
• Don't work too hard to look sick. It's not necessary. This appointment is with the Eligibility Worker or Claims Representative or whatever your state calls the intake person. Whatever the title, this is not the person who is going to determine if you are medically disabled. That's a whole different agency in another location. On the other hand, you shouldn't be dressed to run in a triathlon either because the worker you see will be talking with the Analyst who reviews your medical records.
• Dress comfortably with "sensible" shoes, as Mother used to call them. This is not an occasion where you need to dress to impress.
• No matter what the weather, it's best to wear layers since you don't know whether the heating (or the air conditioning) will be working overtime or barely working at all.
• Be on time if you have an appointment. If you are late, you have a long delay, or even have to return another day.

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