Learn more about the MFTD, DRS and DDD Medicaid waivers and how they can help your family

Our annual Health Insurance Education Series returns in March to help families understand important health insurance topics.

In response to family feedback, our 2025 series will explain Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Programs for Illinois.

The webinars are open to Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participants, their family members and anyone interested in these topics.

These free virtual trainings will feature DSCC team members and other presenters covering a different waiver each month:

• Medically Fragile and Technology Dependent (MFTD) Medicaid Waiver, March 11 at 6 p.m.
  
  • The March presentation will focus on the Medically Fragile and Technology Dependent Waiver for children and adults. Presenters from DSCC will explain how to apply, who is eligible, what benefits are available, and how to use the benefits.
    
  • See the MFTD Medicaid Waiver flyer
  • Register on Zoom for MFTD Medicaid Waiver

• Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) Medicaid Waivers, April 8 at 6 p.m.
  
  • The April presentation will focus on the different waivers available for children and young adults through the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS). Presenters from DRS will explain how to apply, who is eligible, what benefits are available, and how to use the benefits.
    
  • See the DRS Medicaid Waivers flyer
  • Register on Zoom for DRS Medicaid Waivers
    
• Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Medicaid Waivers, May 13 at 6 p.m.
  
  • The May presentation will focus on the different waivers for children and young adults available through the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). Presenters from DDD will explain how to apply, who is eligible, what benefits are available, and how to use the benefits.
    
  • See the DDD Medicaid Waivers flyer
  • Register on Zoom for DDD Medicaid Waivers
    
• La Excepción de Medicaid para personas médicamente frágiles y dependientes de la tecnología (MFTD), 11 de marzo, a las 6 p.m.
  
  • La presentación de marzo se centrará en la excepción para personas médicamente frágiles y dependientes de la tecnología para niños y adultos. Los presentadores de la División de Atención Especializada para Niños (DSCC) le explicarán cómo presentar la solicitud, quién es elegible, qué beneficios están disponibles y cómo utilizarlos.
    
  • Consulte el folleto de Beneficios de MFTD para obtener más detalles.
  • Registrarse para MFTD en Zoom.
    
• Excepciones de Medicaid de la División de Servicios de Rehabilitación (DRS), 8 de abril a las 6 p.m.
  
  • La presentación de abril se centrará en las diferentes excepciones disponibles para niños y adultos jóvenes a través de la División de Servicios de Rehabilitación (DRS). Los presentadores de DRS explicarán cómo presentar la solicitud, quién es elegible, qué beneficios están disponibles y cómo utilizarlos.
    
  • Consulte el folleto de Excepciones de Medicaid de la DRS para obtener más detalles.
  • Registrarse para Excepciones de Medicaid de la DRS en Zoom.

• Excepciones de Medicaid de la División de Discapacidades del Desarrollo (DDD), 13 de mayo a las 6 p.m.
  
  • La presentación de mayo se centrará en las diferentes excepciones para niños y adultos jóvenes disponibles a través de la División de Discapacidades del Desarrollo (DDD). Los presentadores de DDD explicarán cómo presentar la solicitud, quién es elegible, qué beneficios están disponibles y cómo utilizarlos.
    
  • Consulte el folleto de Excepciones de Medicaid de la DDD para obtener más detalles.
  • Registrarse para Excepciones de Medicaid de la DDD en Zoom.

You can also:

• Download a flyer with all Health Insurance Education Series topics and registration links. (The flyer is also available in Spanish.)
• See details about each series session on our Events page.
• Watch the session recordings and access related materials anytime on our Family Education Webinars page.

Our Health Insurance Education Series began in response to questions and suggestions from our Family Advisory Council.

If you have questions about these webinars before or after a session, please email dscc@uic.edu or call (800) 322-3722.

Free virtual training sessions for Division of Specialized Care for Children participants, their families and anyone interested in learning more about health insurance topics

Is figuring out your health insurance leaving you confused, frustrated or both?

Change your confusion to confidence with the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) Health Insurance Education Series.

These free trainings can help you better navigate your health insurance coverage and benefits. Each month, DSCC team members and other presenters will explain a different topic.

Each presentation will be in English. A Spanish interpretation line will be available during each session.

Check out the topics, mark your calendars and register for each session you’re interested in attending.

The session descriptions are in English followed by Spanish:

• Social Security Benefits, March 12 at 6 p.m.
  • This training will help you understand Social Security benefits. Presenters from the Social Security Administration will share information about Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance. You will learn who can get benefits and how to apply for benefits. It will also cover what the Social Security program benefits are and how to keep your benefits.
  • See the Social Security flyer for more details.
  • Register on Zoom for Social Security Benefits

• Medicaid Denials, April 9 at 6 p.m.
  • This training will help you understand Medicaid denials. It will review the common reasons that Medicaid denies services, such as equipment. The presentation will also share tips on how to avoid denials and what to do if Medicaid denies your services. This training will be for those with regular Medicaid and those enrolled in a managed care plan (MCO).
  • See the Medicaid Denials flyer for more details.
  • Register on Zoom for Medicaid Denials

• Transitioning Health Insurance Benefits to Adulthood, May 14 at 6 p.m.
  • This training will help you understand how to transition health insurance benefits to adulthood. It will go over different insurance types, including Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance. This presentation will help you know what to start thinking about for health insurance benefits as you or your child nears adulthood.
  • See the Transitioning Health Insurance Benefits to Adulthood flyer for more details.
  • Register on Zoom for Transitioning Health Insurance Benefits to Adulthood

• Beneficios de Seguro Social, 12 de marzo a las 6 p.m.
  • Esta capacitación lo ayudará a entender los beneficios del Seguro Social. Los presentadores de la Administración del Seguro Social compartirán información sobre el Seguro de Ingreso Suplementario y el Seguro de Incapacidad del Seguro Social. Aprenderá quién puede obtener beneficios y cómo solicitarlos. También cubrirá cuáles son los beneficios del programa de Seguro Social y cómo conservar sus beneficios.
  • Consulte el folleto de Beneficios de Seguro Social para obtener más detalles.
  • Enlace para registrarse
    
• Negaciones de Medicaid, 9 de abril a las 6 p.m.
  • Esta capacitación lo ayudará a comprender las negaciones de Medicaid. Revisará las razones comunes por las que Medicaid niega servicios, como equipos. La presentación también compartirá consejos sobre cómo evitar negaciones y qué hacer si Medicaid niega sus servicios. Esta capacitación será para quienes tienen Medicaid regular y quienes están inscritos en un plan de atención administrada (MCO).
  • Consulte el folleto de Negaciones de Medicaid para obtener más detalles.
  • Enlace para registrarse
    
• Transición de los beneficios del seguro médico a la edad adulta, 14 de mayo a las 6 p.m.
  • Esta capacitación lo ayudará a comprender cómo hacer la transición de los beneficios del seguro médico a la edad adulta. Tratará diferentes tipos de seguros, incluidos Medicaid, Medicare y seguros privados. Esta presentación le ayudará a saber en qué empezar a pensar en cuanto a los beneficios del seguro médico a medida que usted o su hijo se acercan a la edad adulta.
  • Consulte el folleto de Transición de los beneficios del seguro médico a la edad adulta para obtener más detalles.
  • Enlace para registrarse

You can also download a flyer with all the Health Insurance Education Series topics and registration links. (The flyer is also available in Spanish.)

The webinars are open to DSCC participants, their family members and anyone interested in these topics.

This is the second year for the DSCC Health Insurance Education Series. It began in response to DSCC families’ questions and suggestions from our Family Advisory Council.

Details about each series session are also posted on our Events page.

The 2024 Health Insurance Education Series is free for all attendees.

If you miss a session, you can access the recordings and related materials on our Family Education Webinars page.

If you have questions about these webinars before or after a session, email dscc@uic.edu or call (800) 322-3722.

We look forward to seeing you online!

Free virtual training sessions in English and Spanish for Division of Specialized Care for Children participants, their families and all who are interested

Navigating the health insurance maze can be frustrating.

We’ve heard our participant families’ feedback and want to help improve the process.

Please join the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) for our new education series on important health insurance topics.

These free, family-focused sessions will help you better understand your coverage and benefits.

Sessions are virtual and open to DSCC participants, their families/caregivers and anyone interested in these topics.

The DSCC Health Insurance Education Series is the result of DSCC families’ questions and suggestions from our Family Advisory Council.

Our Benefits Management and Research (BMR) team will explain a different topic and answer your questions each month. They will present each session in English and in Spanish via Zoom.

Save the date for each session:

• Understanding Your Insurance
  
  English: March 7, 6 p.m.
  Spanish: March 8, 6 p.m.
  
  This training will help you understand your health insurance. It will go over the types of insurance plans and some important words to know. You will also learn what to do if you have many insurance plans and how to find a doctor.
  
  Sign up for Understanding Your Insurance in English
  Sign up for Understanding Your Insurance in Spanish

• Medicaid Eligibility and Coverage
  
  English: April 11, 6 p.m.
  Spanish: April 12, 6 p.m.
  
  This training will help you learn about Illinois Medicaid programs. It will discuss who can have Medicaid and the programs for children and adults. You will learn what Medicaid covers and how to keep Medicaid coverage through the yearly redetermination process.
  
  Sign up for Medicaid Eligibility and Coverage in English
  Sign up for Medicaid Eligibility and Coverage in Spanish

• Insurance Appeals
  
  English: May 9, 6 p.m.
  Spanish: May 11, 6 p.m.
  
  This training will cover information on health insurance appeals. You will learn what to do if your insurance doesn’t approve a service. You will also learn more about the appeal process and how to write an appeal letter. Examples will be available.
  
  Sign up for Insurance Appeals in English
  Sign up for Insurance Appeals in Spanish

Details about each series session are also posted on our Events page.

Each session will be recorded. You can access the recordings and related materials on our Family Education Webinars page.

There is no cost for families to participate.

If you have questions before or after a session, please email dscc@uic.edu or fill out our Contact Us form.

We hope you’ll join us!

Don’t risk missing important paperwork and losing Medicaid coverage

Do you get health insurance through Medicaid?

Be sure your address is up-to-date so you don’t risk losing coverage.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) needs every Medicaid member to update their mailing address. This step can ensure you receive important paperwork about your benefits.

Medicaid pays for your health care, like visits to your doctor and your medicine. Updating your address can help you avoid surprises and get critical information about your insurance.

We urge all Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participant families who receive Medicaid to make sure their contact information is current.

You can update your address in several easy steps:

• Call the HFS hotline at (877) 805-5312 from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Contact HFS via TTY at (877) 204-1012
• Fill out a quick online form at medicaid.illinois.gov.

To keep your Medicaid coverage, be sure to use an address where mail can always reach you.

For instructions in other languages, please visit HFS’ Address Update Messaging Toolkit webpage.

It’s been two years since HFS has asked Medicaid members to update their contact information. As the COVID-19 public health emergency continues, Medicaid members can stay insured without confirming all eligibility requirements.

Plans are underway to eventually end the public health emergency. An exact date is not yet known.

Once the date is set, HFS will mail important information about how to keep your Medicaid coverage.

Please update your address right away. The process is fast, easy and free.

We will share more details about the end of the public health emergency once they are available.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact your DSCC Care Coordinator. You can call our offices at (800) 322-3722.