How to Get Medicaid in Missouri

A tough economy makes it hard to cover unexpected bills, especially for the high cost of medical care. Medical emergencies, particularly for the 14 percent of Missouri's population who are uninsured, can easily cost more than your annual salary. Fortunately, assistance programs may be available to help pay for some of those costs. The Medicaid program covers some medical expenses for eligible low-income families. The Missouri Department of Social Services can help you determine your eligibility for assistance.

Collect Your Data

• Gather all of your information about your household members. Be prepared: applications for Medicaid are usually very long and will require many items for documentation. Among the items you should have at hand while completing your application include birth certificates, marriage licenses, social security cards, vehicle titles, paycheck stubs for all working members of the household and copies of household bills and bank statements.

Determine Eligibility

• MO HealthNet is the name of the program that administers Medicaid in Missouri. Coverage may be provided to low-income children, parents, legal guardians and elderly individuals. Income limits are tied to federal poverty guidelines for parents and children, but elderly and disabled adults may also have to meet asset limitations.

Apply for Coverage

• Apply for coverage online or in a Missouri Department of Social Services office if you do not have access to a computer. Employees at the DSS office may be able to help you fill out the forms if you need assistance. Take all of your documentation about income and expenses to the DSS office.

Meet with a Caseworker

• Meet with a caseworker after submitting your application. Your caseworker will be assigned to you and will schedule an appointment for reviewing your application, which may be done by telephone or in person, depending on the resources available at your local office. The caseworker will review and confirm your documents and may ask additional questions about your household's finances. Bring recent outstanding medical bills, if applicable; sometimes Medicaid may retroactively cover them.