If a parents income is too high to qualify for medical assistance there is still help available. The tax
equity and fiscal responsibiilty act (TEFRA) was created so that eligibility is set by the childs assets versus the parents.
TEFRA
can be used for:
| • Clinic and physicians’ services |
| • Preventive health services
including routine physicals |
| • Ambulance and emergency room |
| • Inpatient and outpatient hospital care |
| • Medical equipment and supplies
|
| • Physical, occupational, speech, respiratory and rehabilitative
therapy |
| • Eye exams and eye glasses |
| • Transportation services |
| • Alcohol and drug treatment
|
| • Special education services
|
| • Group homes for people who are mentally retarded. |
| • Other health insurance premiums that are considered
cost-effective. |
There is a
sliding scale co-pay based on the parents income. The co-pay is paid monthly by parents and can and will be adjusted if there are changes
in a parents income ; example a job loss.
At the end of the fiscal year (not in December) the childs account is
analyzed to see expense paid out vs. what was paid in through the parents co-pay. Parents will never pay into TEFRA
more than the benefits that the child gets out.
If the co-pay amount exceeds the benefits received, the overpayment
is applied to the co-pay for the next fiscal year.
Eligibility for the program is determined yearly and the parental
fee is recalculated yearly as well. For More information on
TEFRA.
