The New Job
“Now,” began Kay, “we need to look at this great new job.” With $1,500 a month from the new job, “we’re immediately talking Trial Work months,” explained Kay. Since Eric would only be working for three months at that level before going on to UCLA, and as he was planning to stop work while in school, there was no danger of using up the nine allowed Trial Work months right away. “So your SSDI stays put for now,” said Kay.
The Medi-Cal picture was more complicated. Eric had already done the countable income calculation in his head. “My $825 of unearned income from Social Security minus the $20 any income deduction is $805 countable unearned income. My $1,500 in wages, minus $65, divided by two is $717.50 countable earned income. So, adding $805 and $717.50, that’s, what, $1,522.50. But that’s more than the $1,097 you told me was the maximum. So I’m in trouble, right?”
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“There are all kinds of ways into Medi-Cal,” Kay reassured him. | ||
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“Very straightforward,” said Kay. “Even I can figure this out. Under Medically Needy Medi-Cal, you figure out the sum of your countable income the way you just did - $1,522.50,” referring to her notes. “They allow you to subtract a ‘maintenance level’ of $600. Then what’s left – $922.50 – is called your share of cost. That’s the amount of medical expense you’d be responsible for every month before Medi-Cal started paying.”
“Holy mackerel!” exploded Eric. “I can burn that up easily. What am I supposed to live on? I’m better off without a job!”
“Slow down, tiger,” soothed Kay. “I told you Medically Needy probably wasn’t the right program for you. There’s another way in.”
Kay told Eric about Medi-Cal’s California Working Disabled Program. “This one provides full scope Medi-Cal coverage for workers with disabilities. It doesn’t give it away – but it gives you a way to buy in.” With Eric’s income of $1,500 a month, he’d have to pay a premium of $50 a month. “But that’s a heckuva lot better than a $922.50 share of cost!” said Eric. Kay told him he should call his Medi-Cal eligibility worker to get started on transitioning to CWD.
Eric breathed a sigh of relief. “I get it now. ‘It’s so simple, a child could do it!’” he went on, quoting Dr. McCoy in Spock’s Brain.
Eric thanked Kay. “I know you’ll love UCLA. Call if you get work!” she joked
