Health Insurance for Work Advancement (HIWA)

Is It Right for You?

Medicaid is government-funded health coverage for people in certain situations. You may qualify if you:

• Have low to moderate income, no matter how much you have in resources or whether you have a disability. Learn more about income-based Medicaid.
• Have low income and resources, and have a disability or are 65 or older. In general, you must qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or SSI's 1619(b) status to qualify for Medicaid this way, but some people get it without getting SSI or 1619(b). Learn more about disability-based Medicaid.
• Have a disability and work, even if your income is higher and your resources are higher than the regular Medicaid limits. Health Insurance for Work Advancement (HIWA) is explained on this page.

Answer the questions on this page to see if you might qualify for HIWA. If so, it’s a good option to consider because it lets you work, earn more money, and still get great coverage from Medicaid.

Do You Meet HIWA’s Basic Requirements?

To qualify for HIWA, you must:

• Live in Nevada
• Be 16 – 64 years old
• Have a disability
• Be working, and
• Be a U.S. citizen or meet specific noncitizen requirements.

If you live in Nevada, are 16 – 64 years old, working, have a disability, and are either a U.S. citizen or a non-citizen who qualifies, HIWA might be an option for you.

Medicaid Rules for Immigrants:

• Immigrants who have been lawfully present for five years or longer and some other noncitizens who meet specific noncitizen requirements qualify for the same programs that U.S. citizens can get.
• Undocumented immigrants do not qualify for full Medicaid coverage, but they may qualify for some coverage if they need emergency medical services. To qualify, they must meet all non-citizenship requirements for income-based Medicaid or regular disability-based Medicaid; the rules on this page do not apply to undocumented immigrants.

Do You Have a Disability That Meets Social Security’s Standards?

To qualify for HIWA, you must have a disability that meets Social Security’s definition of disability. For adults, Social Security says you have a disability if:

• You have a physical or mental impairment or combination of impairments, and
• Your condition has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months.

Note: For HIWA, Social Security’s disability rules related to earned income do not apply.

If you currently get disability benefits, like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you already meet Social Security’s disability standards. If not, the state will check to see if your disability qualifies for HIWA.

If you already have a disability determination from Social Security or think that your disability meets Social Security’s standards, HIWA might be an option for you.

Are Your Resources Below HIWA’s Limit?

Resources are money and property you own. For HIWA, you must have less than $15,000 in resources.

Some assets don’t count towards HIWA’s resource limit, like the money that you have in retirement accounts or ABLE Accounts.

If your assets are below the limit, HIWA might be an option for you.

Is Your Income Below HIWA’s Income Limits?

To qualify for HIWA, you must:

• Have unearned income of less than $699 a month
• Have gross earned income of less than 450% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) ($5,985 a month), and
• Have total countable income of less than 250% of FPG ($3,325 a month).
  • HIWA calculates your countable income the same way that SSI does: almost all of your unearned income is counted, but less than half of your earned income is counted. Also, you can subtract the cost of some things you need to work, like transportation, personal care services, work equipment, and medical equipment. Your HIWA countable income may be much lower than you think!

If your income is low enough and you meet all other requirements, you should apply for HIWA.

How to Apply

You can apply for HIWA:

• Online with Access Nevada
• In person at your local Division of Social Services (DSS) office, or
• By downloading the Application for Health Insurance, completing it, and then faxing or bringing it in person to your local Division of Social Services (DSS) office, or mailing it to the address listed on the form, or
• By calling 1-755-684-7200 (if you live in Northern Nevada) or 1-702-486-1646 (if you live in Southern Nevada).

Staying on HIWA

Usually, once approved for Medicaid, you continue to qualify as long as your situation doesn’t change. If your income, immigration status, residency, or household size changes, let your Division of Social Services (DSS) office know as soon as possible. You can do this in person, by phone, or by email. Or, you can update your information online using Access Nevada. If you have HIWA, you must report any change by the tenth day of the month after the change happened.