Ombudsman assists man with qualified income trust issues after Medicaid benefits discontinued

The Ombudsman Column, a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints, summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area. Contact the Ombudsman by writing to us at 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton 45402, call 937-223- 4613, or by electronic mail at ombudsman@dayton-ombudsman.org.

The Ombudsman Column, a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints, summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area. Contact the Ombudsman by writing to us at 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton 45402, call 937-223- 4613, or by electronic mail at ombudsman@dayton-ombudsman.org.

Editor’s note: The Dayton Ombudsman Office provides weekly columns to the Dayton Daily News to bring awareness to issues it sees in the community.

A man called the Ombudsman because his Medicaid was discontinued, and therefore his home health aide and delivered meals stopped. The man had recently completed a qualified income trust (QIT) form, and he suspected that triggered his Medicaid being discontinued. A QIT is a qualified income trust that legally transfers an individual’s income to a trust which is exclusively used for determining eligibility for a nursing home, Medicaid, and home/community-based services. The QIT creates a legal pathway to Medicaid eligibility for applicants who have too much income to qualify for assistance but insufficient funds to pay for needed care. This man sought to have his Medicaid reinstated and the home health aide and delivered meals continued.

The man stated to the Ombudsman that he completed the qualified income trust (QIT) form on the online Medicaid system and was waiting several weeks to receive a packet he needed to complete. He received a call from a staff person at Job and Family Services stating his case was closed due to a missing item. The man stated having receipts of scanning the documents twice & did not receive the packet until later without a checklist provided. Due to his case being closed, he lost his home health aide and delivered meals.

The Ombudsman office contacted Job and Family Services on the man’s behalf. Job and Family Services reviewed the case and told the Ombudsman that the man did not submit verification that the QIT account was funded. The man submitted verification that the QIT account was funded but submitted it after his Medicaid was closed. Job and Family Services stated the man would need to reapply to be able to reopen his Medicaid case. The Ombudsman relayed this information to the man, and he confirmed that he did not supply the needed documentation in time and would complete a new application. He thanked the Ombudsman for help in getting his problem resolved and services restored.

The Ombudsman Column, a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints, summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area. Contact the Ombudsman by writing to us at 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton 45402, call 937-223- 4613, or by electronic mail at ombudsman@dayton-ombudsman.org.

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