If you apply for Medicaid, you may be able to get help with unpaid medical bills. The unpaid bills must have been for medical services within 3 months of your applying to Medicaid. This is called retroactive Medicaid.

You must have been eligible for Medicaid when you got the medical services. This is true even if you are not eligible for Medicaid at the time of applying.

This may be available even if someone passed away before applying. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services will decide whether you qualify. They will look at your income, resources, and exemptions. They will look at the first day of each of the last 3 months that you received medical services which went unpaid.

The period may be longer than 3 months in certain cases related to social security appeals and redeterminations.

To apply, go to Illinois’ ABE website.