105-4          FEE AGENT VERIFICATION

Fee Agents may testify in writing that, by his or her own personal knowledge, the applicant meets a factor of eligibility. Fee Agents are instructed to provide this type of verification when another source of testimony or evidence is unavailable. This written testimony requires the Fee Agent's signature.

For example, the Fee Agent can sign a statement that the father of the children left the village to seek work. The Fee Agent could have personal knowledge that the father left on last week's mail plane.

Signed verification statements by Fee Agents should be accepted as sufficient unless the caseworker has good reason to believe that the statement is incorrect or unless the caseworker is reasonably certain the Fee Agent has overlooked another source of verification. If either of these situations is likely, the caseworker should contact the Fee Agent and make further inquiry.

The Fee Agent's signed verification must be maintained in the case file.

105-4 A.      VIEWING AND VERIFYING CITIZENSHIP AND IDENTITY DOCUMENTS FOR MEDICAID

Medicaid applicants and recipients who do not want to send originals or certified copies of their citizenship and identity documents through the mail may present an original or certified copy to the Fee Agent for verification. Caseworkers must inform applicants and recipients of this option.

Caseworkers will be able to identify which citizenship and identity documents were viewed and verified by the Fee Agent by the green labels that have been given to Fee Agents to attach to copies and validate with their signature.

After viewing an original or certified copy, the Fee Agent attaches a green label to a copy of the document to submit to DPADivision of Public Assistance. The Fee Agent will sign the label and write "FA" beside their signature, and enter the date they viewed the original or certified copy. In the event a green label is not available, fee agents may also make a note on the top right-hand corner of the copy that they have seen the original or a certified copy, sign and date the notation, and write FA beside their signature.