oh, I wanted to add to this - 'all of the programs' you can only qualify for all of them if you are living very very poor. I think i'd rather work and barely survive then live on just enough to qualify for the 'free' programs!

[quote="ingi"]

why would you be applying for foodstamps if your husband makes $1000 a paycheck?

Medicaid is tricky because the guidelines, although regulated by the us government, still differ from state to state. In a nutshell, if one of these conditions applies to you, you should qualify

you have children or are pregnant and on a limited income.
You and your husband make less than 23,000 a year (it might be a little over, my guideline sheet is at my office and i'm at home).
Or if you have less than $2k in assets.

Also keep in mind that there are plenty of private insurance programs available to low-income families. You can always call your state welfare department to get a list of the insurance programs available in your area.
Good luck!

[quote="iheartmybostonterrier"]

you can make a hell of a lot more than you think and still qualify for food stamps. Probably not cash assistance but definitely food stamps.

[quote="tigresacanela24"]

right, but why would you *want* to?

I dunno... Maybe they've got a lot of debt?

Emma - you have a reason to brag about the canadian insurance; I am jealous.

I am sure you would qualify for one of the state or private insurance programs. I heard it is most difficult to qualify for medicaid. I hear you, though, it is hard to qualify if you make even a little more than the cut off. I need to work because there is no way we would qualify for assistance and I have two kids so insurance is expensive!!!!

It is very tough, I understand. With your numbers, though, I still would think there is something you can qualify for. It's hard because they look at gross income not income after taxes.

It sounds like a few people here really know insurance stuff (i.E., tigresacanela....)!!

[quote="pumpkine0011"]i think its bulls**t that people can sit on their a**es and not work and just keep popping out kids and geto n all of the damn programs out there, but the people who are working cant get anything! But yet dont make enough to do anything with. I'm not saying all people on medicaid are lazy, but alot of people I know are that are on it. They continue to not work, not support thier kids, and live off of the people who do works hard earned tax money.Quote]

im right there with ya, although I do get medicaid and wic there are a lot of things that we cant get and for the longest time we had to keep fighting for our medicaid

my mum works at walmart, shes a single parent with 4 children (2 are out of the house now and im married as of last week but still) when we were all 4 getting child support it was only about $200 all together, plus rent and food and all the other bills, we lived off donations from my mums church half the time because we couldnt afford to buy food and we each got 2 new outfits twice a year (summer and winter) and that was only if we could scroung enough money

it sucked, we should have quialified for food stamps and so much more, then I see these people who dont need it or are just using the system and it angers me off

i know this one girl whos dad makes like $15 per hour 40 hours a week, her mum works from home, her and both her parents have new cars she has brand new clothes all the time gets her hair has money for drugs everything, and they are still on food stamps, its not right I tell ya really

ok im done sorry

~alicia~

*edit* oh yeah, forgot, dont worry about the itchyness, I have that too, have for a while, I have really sensitie skin and its more sensitive now, my doc said its because pregnancy is an inflamitory condition so it makes your skin inflame and stretch and itch...Like if you hurt your arm and it swells up it itches a little, kinda like that

I havent applied yet, I called them as soon as I found out and they wanted to know our monthly gross income and nothing else and said we arent elgible. But I was pregnant back in september of 06' and I got approved, it is really strange.

If you already got approved, then why do you have to reapply?

I apply for food stamps becuz my husband has to pay childsupport for two kids from a previous marriage, he is about 30,000 in debt with student loans that are in default, about 5700 in debt with a credit card from previoous marriage, 1500 in debt for a cell bill before us, and about 5,000 in debt with a bank from a few years ago, that he never closed out and the overdraft fees just kept adding up. He pays the bills such as rent and utilites, I pay electricity and food and stuff for the house. So we never have any left over money for anything, my mom is constantly having to help me out. And I am currently paying on my student loans which arent as bad as his, and car insurance. He also has his car payments.

I had a miscarriage in september, so I lost it after that. And now im trying to get it again, and everyone keeps saying we arent elgible, but they arent taking into consideration our monthly expenses.

.Did you tell them you got approved in .September?

All they said was thats weird. They said I shouldnt have been approved. I dont think the people in the area know what their doing anyway. Because in the past, I have had foodstamps with no problem, then I move to another town, and they say no, then I move somewhere else they say yes, then I move somewhere again and then they say no. But I gave up on foodstamps last time I was pregnant becuz they said I got apporved, then switched my techinicians on me and they then said I was never approved and that I have to pay the money back, but it wasnt my fault their computer had an error. So I dont care about foodstamps or wic right now, I just need to see a doctor becuz I dont wanna lose another baby. If they could just work with me instead of not caring I wouldnt be so stressed out. Its not my fault medical is so much. But im like a hippy, I always ask why cant we all get along and everything be free?

In the state of I daho it goes your gross income and they could care less about your other expenses. With my first son my ex had great insurance we payed a total of 300.00 for all visits before the arrival. After the delivery of the baby and a few doctor visits we started to get bills that said insurance did not cover. When we called his insurance company we found out that the insurance would only cover the pregnancy and if the child was born unhealthy. What kind of insurance is that? Well anyway we were stuck with about 2500.00 for the hospital and 1000 for peditrician bills when we tried to apply for medicaid. We were told that if I had quit my job 3 months prior to haveing my baby they would have helped coever the expenses. Not what kind of advice is that when the social welfare system is to help those that are dependent on the system become independant. Anyways good luck to you and if you have to I guess quit your job now and then try to get covered.

I tried to get my hours lowered enough to where we would be eligible, but my boss said he could only lower it to 20 hours, but we needed 17, so my mom said just keep my regular hours which are just under full time which is also b*lls**t but I work about 32-33 hours a week and full time is 35. And since I am just part time and just started in novemeber I cant get benefits til november 2007 and I will done of have my baby by then hopefully. And my husband looked into benefits today from his job and it will cost 300 a paycheck for us. My pay check doesnt pay crackers anyway, I meant after taxes I only have about 290 left. And plus I am making minimum wage, that just went up to 6.85 but they arent taking that into consideration either.

I am about to apply for medicaid. I have my appointment in a couple of days. I am pretty sure that I can get it because everyone says that it so easy to get it here in il. My sister has it and she makes more money than me. I am prolly gonna be accepted for wic too.

Go directly to the office and reapply. Do not have them prequalify you over the phone. And child support doesn't count for anything anywhere. Sucks but true...

I just got off the phone with the lady who is supposed to see me today and she saids I dont qualify for anything, but I told her I still want to come in.

That's odd. You should still qualify because you're pregnant. I'll put out the giant freaking manual and check the guidelines for you today. Give me about an hour or so to find the right page (the freaking thing is bigger than the phone book)...