The Basics

This article will give you information on the many laws and programs that can help you keep your health care benefits when you work. It will also give you basic information about private group health coverage that you may be able to get through your employer when you get a job.

Keeping health coverage benefits, which are so important to health and well-being, is something that many people with disabilities are concerned about when thinking about working. You may be afraid that if you work, you will lose your public health coverage and won’t be able to get the services you need. You may be concerned about how to get your benefits back if you stop working, or need to work fewer hours because of your disability.

There are many myths about losing public health care benefits because you start working. Fortunately, these myths aren’t true.

There are many programs and laws that can help you keep your health care benefits when you work. For example:

• If you’re on Medical Assistance (MA) once you start a job, in most cases, you can keep MA through Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD).
• If you are Medicare and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), your Medicare will last for more than 8 years after you start working.
• If your new job offers employer-sponsored group coverage, you may keep your public coverage and use private health coverage too.

The possibility of work for people with disabilities is more of a reality than ever before. Many people with disabilities have meaningful jobs that they enjoy and are successful at doing. Not only will working let you earn your own money, it will also give you independence.

The rest of this article will give you the information you need to be reassured that you can work and keep your health coverage.