My parents are currently on the Medicaid program. Since the Medicaid program is given to people living in poverty, I knew there were other federal programs that they could apply to as well. One of these programs is the free cell phones for Medicaid recipients. The free cell phone is for low income individuals and families just like the Medicaid program is too. In order to apply for the Medicaid phone, your income would have to be at or below the federal poverty level. I knew immediately that this program was for my parents. They already have a lot of expenses so getting a free phone would be a plus. In this way, I can keep in contact with them no matter where they go.
My parents seemed pretty happy to know about the free phone for Medicaid recipients so I told them to go Safelink Wireless to apply. First they had to figure out if the program operates in their state. After they got that figured out, they did the application online. They had to fill out some private information and also had to provide supporting documents showing their income. They also showed documentation showing that they are in the Medicaid program. A couple of weeks after they sent off their application, they got their free phone. I told them that they should be careful when they use their phone because I did not want them to use up all their limited minutes before the month is up. When you join the Medicaid cell phone program you only get a limited amount of minutes every month. Once you use up your minutes for the month then you cannot place anymore calls unless you are calling 911. Basically, my parents would have to keep their phone conversations short and to the point.
I really like the free Medicaid phones program because it really allows poor people to stay connected with the world. It has worked out for my parents and me because I can contact them whenever the need arises. Hopefully, this program will continue indefinitely.
