If you have a significant disability, but are worried that you will lose health care coverage by going to work, Maryland’s Employed Individuals with Disabilities (EID) Program can help.
The EID allows people who meet Social Security disability rules and who are also working to purchase Medical Assistance (Medicaid) at a reduced rate. If you have Medicare, Medicaid can save you up to thousands of dollars a year. If you have other insurance, Medicaid can cover some extra services that the other insurance does not.
Cost
The monthly premium is based on a sliding scale of income and assets. Costs range from $0 to $55 per month. Those who cannot afford the fee may request a waiver of this charge.
The EID encourages people with disabilities to work or increase their earnings. There is no minimum earnings requirement, so working at any level, however minimal, can enable someone to qualify.
Recent Rule Changes Help More People
Recent rule changes have made the EID program open to more people. These changes include:
• No application fee• The exclusion of certain retirement accounts in determining eligibility for the EID program• Expanding EID to people who have not yet applied for or been approved for SSI or SSDI
Provisions
Eligible individuals receive full Medicaid benefits, including inpatient and outpatient care, physician and clinic visits, and prescription drugs. The program also covers personal care services at home and in the workplace.
Qualifying for EID
People qualify for EID if they:
• Receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or formerly received either SSDI or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) but lost the benefits for reasons other than “medical improvement” OR
• Are not receiving Social Security benefits, but meet Social Security’s medical definition of disability AND
• Are U. S. citizens or “qualified aliens” aged 18 – 64
• Are working for pay • Meet income and resource limits
To see if you may be eligible, fill out this EID Checklist.
About Income Limits
EID income limits are higher than other Medicaid programs in the state, so employees and self-employed people can work in profitable careers without losing health insurance. For example, an individual whose sole income is wages can earn up to $63,000/year; a married couple can earn up to $85,000/year.
More Information
The Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) can answer specific questions and provide assistance with completing an electronic application, which can easily be updated as needed. Call MDOD's EID Outreach Project at 1-800-637-4113 (voice or TTY). The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene operates the EID program.Ticket To Work ->