The Department of Health reported on Tuesday that it is ready to qualify citizens seeking the benefits of the Government Plan-Vital Plan, after receiving authorization from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to increase the scale of participants’ incomes.
In this new scenario, citizens who previously did not qualify for income may be eligible to receive the temporary benefit until 30 September 2021.
This was stated by the Secretary of the Department of Health, Lorenzo González Feliciano, in a written communication, anticipating that he will send letters to people who have requested help and have been ineligible due to income, so that they can apply again under the new scale. .
“This is great news. We are ready to receive the application from those citizens who do not yet have a medical plan and who can now qualify for their income. Health is a right we all have and having a plan for its citizens should be a priority for any government. Now, with these new income scales, many people will be able to go to their doctor, buy their medicines and take preventive care, as they should, ”said the chief, who thanked Natalia Jaresko, the Council’s executive director. of Fiscal Control. , which was the key to such an important benefit for Puerto Rico.
For her part, Puerto Rico Medicaid Director Luz Cruz Romero added that in addition to the income scale, CMS has also authorized an increase in the CHIP income level, so now the table is as follows:
People in the family, Medicaid monthly income and CHIP income level
1 person – 1,202 USD – 2,404 USD
2 people – 1,660 USD 2,626 USD
3 people – 2,046 USD to 2,848 USD
4 people – 2,468 USD to 3,070 USD
5 people – 2,890 USD to 3,292 USD
6 people – from 3,312 to 3,514 USD
7 people – 3,734 USD to 3,736 USD
8 people – 4,156 USD to 3,958 USD
9 people – 4,579 USD – 4,180 USD
10 people – $ 5,001 to $ 4,402
11 people – $ 5,423 to $ 4,624
12 people – 5,845 USD to 4,846 USD
13 people – $ 6,267 to $ 5,068
14 people – 6,689 USD to 5,290 USD
15 people – $ 7,111 to $ 5,512
“It simply came to our notice then. Depending on the composition of the family and the socio-economic situation, you can apply discounts. For this reason, we urge citizens – the family unit – who have suffered a reduction in income, whether due to job loss, reduced working hours or another situation, to claim the benefits of the Vital Plan, as they may be eligible. Cruz Romero urged.
He also pointed out that in the case of a family with children, even if the parents were not eligible, they could be, as under the CHIP program, the level of income to qualify is even higher.
To apply for Vital Plan benefits, they must go to www.medicaid.pr.gov and complete the application. If you do not have internet access or need assistance completing the application, you can contact the center Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 787 641-4224 or TTY (787) 625-6955 .
“We want citizens to take advantage of this opportunity. It is important to know that if you need to be contacted to clarify any information provided in the application or need additional information, a Medicaid employee will call you at the telephone number you provided in the application and the phone number. The employee’s phone number may be reflected as a private number on yours. It is also important that you are aware of your email once the application is submitted online, as they can contact you in this way as well. You have to check the mailbox for “spam” or “junk”, because the e-mail could receive it there “, concluded Cruz Romero.