Medicaid Buy-in Program for Working People with Disabilities (MBI-WPD)

Are you a person with a disability who is working?

The Medicaid Buy-In program offers coverage to people with disabilities who are working and earning more than what is allowed in traditional Medicaid.

To qualify you must meet all the following requirements:

• Be a resident of New York City;
• Be between 16-64 years of age;
• Have a disability as defined by the Social Security Administration (SSA) or by New York State;
• Be working (including being self-employed);
• Have resources not exceeding $31,175 for an individual and $42,312 for a couple;
• To see if you meet the income eligibility, use the Income Test Worksheet on page 6 of the toolkit for the MBI-WPD program to get a better sense of whether you might be eligible at your income level.

Are you already enrolled in Medicaid?

If you meet these requirements and receive Medicaid coverage with a monthly spenddown, you can still enroll in the MBI–WPD program. Participants in the MBI-WPD program don’t have to pay a spenddown. You should continue to pay your spenddown until your MBI- WPD application is approved.

Are you already getting insurance through your employer?

If you have health insurance coverage through your employer, you should keep that insurance and reach out to HRA. Medicaid may cover the cost of the premium for that insurance coverage.

The MBI-WPD program does not offer family coverage. Single people and married couples are both covered under this program if both individuals are working and have a disability. Spouses without a disability and children may be covered through other programs such as Medicaid through New York State of Health or Child Health Plus.

How can you apply?

You can apply online at ACCESS HRA

You or your authorized representative can also apply by mailing in an application to the address below:

Initial Eligibility Unit
HRA/Medical Assistance Program
PO Box 24390
Brooklyn, NY 11202-9814

You can also fax your application to 917-639-0732. Your authorized representative can fax an application to 917-639-0731.

You or your authorized representative can also apply at any local Medicaid office within New York City. You can call 311 for the nearest Medicaid Office, or visit our Medicaid Office page for the complete list.

For help applying, please see this list of facilitated enrollers.

For more information, call the Medicaid Helpline at 888-692-6116 or visit the NYS website.