COUNTY ASSISTANCE

COUNTY ASSISTANCE:

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

PURPOSE: For the payment of hospital and medical expenses and other necessities for who have no medical insurance and do not qualify for Medicaid with Idaho State Health & Welfare.

WHAT IS COUNTY ASSISTANCE?

If you cannot afford hospital and medical care or non-medical necessities; such as rent and utilities, then the County is required by law to assist you in paying for them. County assistance is temporary assistance to indigent person(s) when no other alternative exists. County Assistance does not supplement any other type of assistance; such as Medicare, Medicaid, SSI, private insurance, workman's compensation, veteran benefits, etc.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR COUNTY ASSISTANCE?

You are eligible for County Assistance if you are unable to provide for basic necessities or you do not have enough income and resources to pay for necessary hospital or other medical expenses. To qualify for help, you must have been a resident of the County in which you live for at least six (6) months. If you are not sure which County you are a resident of, apply to each County where you may be a resident.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR COUNTY ASSISTANCE?

You can apply for County Assistance at the County Courthouse. Marianne Bate is the Welfare Director. At this Office, you will need to pick up an application for both medical and nonmedical help. After you complete the application, you will need to schedule an appointment for an interview with the Welfare Director. Before you go to your interview, you will need to gather all the important papers asked for on the application. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU COME TO YOUR INTERVIEW. Missing information will hold up your application and may delay getting the help you need. After the County has reviewed all your information, interviewed you, and investigated your application, a decision will be made by the Board of Commissioners to determine whether or not you are eligible for County Assistance. You will receive notification of this decision in writing by mail. If you are denied, the written notice will state the reasons why you were denied. You have the right to ask the Commissioners to reconsider their decision twenty-eight (28) days after the date of their determination.

WHEN WILL I FIND OUT IF I AM ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE?

The County and the Applicant must follow specific time guidelines in the filing and processing of applications. They areas follows:

	Applicant must file an application for non-emergency services at least ten (10) days prior to receiving services.
	Applicant must file an application within thirty (30) days of receiving emergency services.
	Requests for additional services (related to an original diagnosis) must be filed ten (10) days prior to receiving additional treatment.
	Applicants may file a delayed application within one hundred and eighty (180) days of receiving services if other resources are pursued. Other resources (such as social security, Medicaid, etc.) must have been pursued within ninety (90) days after receiving services in order for a delayed application to be accepted. If it has been determined that the Applicant filed in a non-obligated County, they will have up to thirty (30) days to file in the obligated County.
	The County Clerk shall have twenty days (20) to complete the interview and investigation of an application for non-emergency services.
	The County Clerk shall have forty-five (45) days to complete the investigation of an application for emergency necessary medical services.
	In the case of follow-up treatment, the County Clerk will have ten (10) days to complete an interview on a request for additional treatment to update the financial and other information contained in a previous application for an original diagnosis in accordance with a treatment plan previously approved by the Board of Commissioners.
	Upon completion of the interview and investigation of the application or request, a statement of the Clerk's findings will be filed with the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners will make an initial determination on an application within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the Clerk's findings.

WHAT WILL THE COUNTY PAY?

The amount paid by the County for any medically indigent resident will not exceed in aggregate the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), per applicant for any twelve (12) month-period. In those cases where medical bills exceed this amount, the balance will be paid by the Catastrophic Health Care Program. For non-medical assistance, the County will try to limit help to the smallest amount possible. It is the policy of this state (Idaho Code 31-3501) that each person, to the maximum extent possible, be responsible for his or her own medical care and to that end, is encouraged to purchase his or her own medical insurance with coverage sufficient to prevent them from needing to request assistance from the County.

WHAT THE COUNTY DOES NOT PAY:

The County Assistance Program does not pay medical benefits for mental health services. Mental health services are under the jurisdiction of the State. The County does not pay for dental work. The County will only consider emergency extractions. Other medical services not eligible for County Assistance include: elective surgery, bone marrow transplants, organ transplants, services related to or provided by residential and/or shelter care and normal, uncomplicated pregnancies. Finally, the County does not pay for past medical bills.

WILL I HAVE TO PAY THE COUNTY BACK?

The County Assistance Program is a reimbursement program. Upon application for financial assistance, an automatic lien is attached to all real and personal property of the applicant and on insurance benefits to which the applicant may become entitled. The lien shall also attach to any additional resources to which it may legally attach not covered above. If an application for assistance is denied, the lien will be released within twenty-eight (28) days from the date of denial. If your application for assistance is approved, the lien will remain in place until your financial obligation to the County is satisfied. The County Clerk will provide you with a detailed explanation of the reimbursement program if you are approved for County Assistance. You will be asked to come in and review the reimbursement agreement with the County Clerk. You will have the right to ask questions and request changes in the agreement at this time.

(208) 587-2160

Elmore County Courthouse

150 S. 4^th East, Basement

Mountain Home, ID 83647

Mailing Address:

Elmore County Social Services

150 South 4^th East, Suite #3

Mountain Home, ID 83647

Phone: 208-587-2160

Fax: 208-587-2159

Email: mbate@elmorecounty.org