426-7        CONVERTING INTERIM ASSISTANCE TO REGULAR ADULT PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

Interim Assistance payments end when Social Security makes its final SSISupplemental Security Income eligibility decision and notifies the applicant.

Refer to EIS Procedure 2012-1 for instructions regarding converting IAInterim Assistance to APAAdult Public Assistance.

426-7 A.   ELIGIBLE FOR SSISupplemental Security Income - CLIENT HAS SIGNED IARInterim Assistance Reimbursement AUTHORIZATION

If the client is found eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income, and has signed an IARInterim Assistance Reimbursement authorization, eligibility for Interim Assistance ends the month that SSASocial Security Administration makes the SSISupplemental Security Income eligibility decision.  This will normally be the same month that SSASocial Security Administration sends the initial SSISupplemental Security Income payment to the Claims Unit.  Regular APAAdult Public Assistance benefits are approved beginning the first day of the month after SSASocial Security Administration notifies the individual that he or she is eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income.

If, for some reason, the IAInterim Assistance case cannot be converted to regular APAAdult Public Assistance the month following the SSISupplemental Security Income decision, the case worker may convert the case beginning with the following month.  This situation may occur when IAInterim Assistance benefits are issued before the case worker learns of the SSISupplemental Security Income decision.  The individual is still considered eligible for regular APAAdult Public Assistance benefits beginning with the month following the SSISupplemental Security Income decision, and if otherwise eligible, may receive APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid benefits for the months following the SSISupplemental Security Income decision.

426-7 B.   ELIGIBLE FOR SSASocial Security Administration RSDIRetirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (Social Security) BENEFITS - NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SSISupplemental Security Income

If, after going through the SSISupplemental Security Income application process, the client is eligible for Social Security Retirement, Survivor, or Disability Insurance benefits but not for SSISupplemental Security Income benefits, APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid eligibility may exist depending upon the type and amount of the SSASocial Security Administration benefit and other financial and non-financial APAAdult Public Assistance eligibility criteria.  The case worker will make an eligibility decision based on the eligibility criteria of the APAAdult Public Assistance program.

426-7 C.   NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SSISupplemental Security Income SOLELY BECAUSE OF EXCESS INCOME

If SSISupplemental Security Income finds the client ineligible solely because of excess income, APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid eligibility may exist.  The case worker will make an eligibility decision based on the eligibility criteria of the APAAdult Public Assistance program.

Note:

 If the applicant is applying for APAAdult Public Assistance on the basis of blindness or disability, and SSASocial Security Administration has not made a blindness or disability determination, the APAAdult Public Assistance application must be pended for a state-only blindness or disability decision from the Disability Determination Service (DDSDisability Determination Service) before APAAdult Public Assistance eligibility can be determined.  The individual is not eligible for IAInterim Assistance benefits while waiting for a state-only DDSDisability Determination Service decision.  (See section  425-3C.)

426-7 D.   NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SSISupplemental Security Income DUE TO NOT MEETING DISABILITY CRITERIA

IAInterim Assistance recipients should not have their IAInterim Assistance benefits terminated if their SSISupplemental Security Income claim is denied for not meeting disability criteria.  IAInterim Assistance recipients must be given 30 days to provide verification that they are appealing their SSISupplemental Security Income denial.  If they provide verification that they have appealed the SSI decisions, IAInterim Assistance benefits should continue during the appeal process described in APA MS 426-5.

IAInterim Assistance applicants are not pended for proof of appeal.  As applicants, their APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid application should be denied if SSISupplemental Security Income denies their claim for not meeting disability criteria.  

426-7 E.   SSASocial Security Administration APPROVES SSISupplemental Security Income BEFORE MEDICAL REVIEWER APPROVES INTERIM ASSISTANCE

If SSASocial Security Administration determines that the applicant is disabled before the Medical Reviewer's Interim Assistance (IAInterim Assistance) decision is received, do not issue IAInterim Assistance back to the date the IARInterim Assistance Reimbursement was signed.  Since IAInterim Assistance is not approved in this situations, the applicant has no IARInterim Assistance Reimbursement obligation.

The APAAdult Public Assistance benefit start date is the first day of the month after SSASocial Security Administration awards SSISupplemental Security Income or SSDS benefits, or the first day of the month after DDSDisability Determination Service notifies DPADivision of Public Assistance that the applicant is disabled.  The client would not be issued any IAInterim Assistance payments.