Health Insurance for Work Advancement (HIWA) Eligibility for Young People

Health Insurance for Work Advancement (HIWA) offers health coverage to people with disabilities who get jobs. If you have a disability, get a job and are making too much money to get Medicaid coverage, you might be able to keep your Medicaid coverage through HIWA.

To qualify for HIWA, you must:

• Be 16 to 64 years old
• Live in Nevada
• Be a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant
• Be working
• Have a disability that meets Social Security’s medical standards.
  • Note: For HIWA, SSA’s disability rules related to income do not apply.
  • Note: If you aren't sure if your disability qualifies, you can apply and the state will check.
• Have $15,000 or less in resources. Money in an ABLE account, the house you live in, and a car are not counted.
• Have less than $699 a month in unearned income
• Have less than $5,985 a month in gross earned income, and
• Have less than $3,325 a month in total countable income.
  • 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!

To get HIWA coverage, you need to pay a monthly premium. Your premium amount depends on your total countable income.

HIWA is a great option if you like your current Medicaid coverage and get a job. You don’t have to be afraid you will lose your health coverage!

How to Apply for HIWA

There are different ways to apply for Health Insurance for Work Advancement (HIWA):

• Online using Access Nevada. Access Nevada lets you apply for other programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), at the same time.
• In person at your local Division of Social Services (DSS) office.
• By filling out a paper application. You can bring or fax the completed form to your local Division of Social Services (DSS) office, or mail it to the address listed on the form.
• By calling 1-755-684-7200 (if you live in Northern Nevada) or 1-702-486-1646 (if you live in Southern Nevada).

If you need help applying for HIWA, talk to a benefits planner or visit or call your local Division of Social Services (DSS) office.

No matter how you apply, it is important to know that if you are not eligible for HIWA, you may be able to get private insurance subsidized by the government. We explain health coverage subsidies later in this article.

Read more about HIWA in DB101's How Health Benefits Work article.