question: Anthem Inc's conversion to a publicly traded company is affecting people in what states? answer: Indiana paragraph: It might have seemed like manna from heaven - up to thousands of dollars dropping, often unexpectedly, into the hands of a half-million Kentucky and Indiana residents this month. But for some recipients, there is a downside to the checks from Anthem Inc., issued to policyholders as part of the insurer's conversion to a publicly traded company. The poorest recipients could actually suffer from the windfall by losing their benefits under Medicaid, food-stamp and other programs. That's because they suddenly have more money than the eligibility threshold for aid. TO avoid losing valuable benefits such as a Medicaid-paid spot in a nursing home, recipients may need to spend their money fast - as early as the end of this month - but make sure they do it in a way that meets program guidelines. "You would think money out of the blue would be a good thing," said Jaime Odle Harmon, executive director of the Lexington-based Access to Justice Foundation. "We're just trying to make sure that it is, and doesn't have a negative impact on low-income folks and their families." Legal aid lawyers in Kentucky have put together an action team and held frequent statewide conference calls in response to concerns from aid recipients and advocates that the Anthem payouts could cost people their benefits, at least temporarily. "We're getting deluged" with calls on the issue, said Hamon, whose agency supports the state's legal-services programs and operates a legal hotline for the elderly. The basic advice is this: if you received a check or stock from Anthem and you haven't disposed of it yet, pick up the phone and call a legal-aid lawyer, benefits counselor or someone else who understands eligibility guidelines. And do it right away. "There are people out there who are available to help anyone who has a problem. It's legal service and it's free," said Amy Turner, a staff attorney in Louisville with the Legal Aid Society, which covers Jefferson and 14 surrounding counties. The sudden concern over losing benefits was triggered by the recent mailing by Anthem, the Indianapolis-based insurer, of about $2 billion in checks, plus shares of stock worth a bit more than that, to 1 million eligible policyholders in four states. About half of those were individuals or employers in Kentucky and Indiana. The distribution was a result of Anthem's conversion last year from a mutual company, owned by its policyholders, to a publicly traded company owned by the shareholders. Despite earlier mailings from Anthem, the checks caught many people by surprise. And while it was generally a nice surprise, it worried many aid-recipients who fear losing benefits - especially elderly residents in Medicaid nursing-home beds. 