Ombudsman helps woman with Medicaid benefits transfer after she became homeless

A building on West Monument Avenue that houses the Dayton-Montgomery County ombudsman's offices. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF

A building on West Monument Avenue that houses the Dayton-Montgomery County ombudsman's offices. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF

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.

Recently a woman contacted the Ombudsman requesting assistance with her Medicaid coverage and also with a Section 8 housing choice transfer to another state. The woman became homeless in January and notified her caseworker at the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services that she forwarded her mail to another address when she lost her housing. The forwarding address she provided is in Indiana.

The Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services terminated her Medicaid coverage because if one is homeless in Ohio, one must have a mailing address in Ohio. The woman had already filed for a State Hearing on the termination of benefits, but did not know the outcome because of the mailing address problem. She asked for our assistance in learning the status of her benefits.

The woman understood from the public housing authority (PHA) in the State to which she was trying to move, that they had received the request for a transfer. However, her request for a Disability Accommodation was not included. The PHA informed her that request had to be sent by Greater Dayton Premier Management (GDPM) and not by the person requesting the transfer.

The Ombudsman contacted the Department of Job and Family Services and learned that her Medicaid benefits were reinstated. The Ombudsman also contacted Greater Dayton Premier Management (GDPM) and the agency agreed to forward the paperwork for Disability Accommodation.

The woman called the Ombudsman to inform us that the paperwork had been received and now both concerns she had brought to our office were resolved. She was grateful for our assistance in helping to resolve these matters.

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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