By Attorney Patrick Nolan
MO HealthNet is Missouri’s take on Medicaid—a lifeline if you’re barely scraping by. Covers families, older folks, people with disabilities, kids, and pregnant women. Eligibility comes down to income, household size, and a few non-negotiables—Missouri address, citizenship or special status, maybe specific medical needs. If your income falls under 138% of the federal poverty line and you’re under 65, you’re likely in after the 2021 expansion. There’s paperwork, sure: ID, income numbers, Social Security for everyone under your roof. You can do it online, by phone, by mail, or at the Family Support office. It’s not pleasant, but it’s not impossible.
What do you get? Visits to the doctor and hospital, prescriptions, labs, x-rays, mental health treatment, dental and vision (for some), plus home health and rehab. If you need nursing home care or long-term services, MO HealthNet pays for that too—sometimes letting you stay at home instead of heading to a facility.
But don’t ignore the fine print. Not everyone gets the full range, and if you’re aiming for long-term care, they examine assets as closely as income. Move money around the wrong way in the five-year look-back window and you’ll hit penalties or timing blocks. It’s so easy to trip on a technicality. This is where estate planning gets real. Missouri’s rules are strict; shifting assets under the radar isn’t an option.
If you’re married, the healthy spouse usually keeps certain income and assets, but the rules are set in stone. It takes sound planning—sometimes tools like irrevocable trusts or contracts—to keep a roof and still qualify. State law keeps changing, and you’ve got to watch for updates or changes after new legislation. If you’re a family dealing with long-term care or disability, this is the kind of maze you don’t want to wander into blind. You won’t get a do-over for missed details or late paperwork.
If anything here hits close to home, Nolan Law Firm can help make sense of what MO HealthNet means for you and your family.
