MEMORANDUM
DATE: September 1, 2001
TO: Adult Public Assistance Manual Holders
FROM: The Policy and Program Development Team
Ellie Fitzjarrald, Chief
SUBJECT: Adult Public Assistance Manual Change #3
We’re pleased to present two significant APA policy changes with this manual change:
Prospective budgeting for non-SSI Supplemental Security Income recipients, and
Transfer of resource penalty.
This change also provides new guidance for anticipating monthly income and makes minor technical corrections.
With prospective budgeting the APA payment will better coordinate with the individual’s circumstances and avoid the benefit fluctuations some recipients experienced under retrospective budgeting. This change is not extended to SSI Supplemental Security Income recipients because APA payments to SSI Supplemental Security Income recipients do not fluctuate from month to month; the APA payment remains the same as long as the individual remains eligible for SSI Supplemental Security Income.
The new APA transfer of resource policy is being implemented to bring us into alignment with SSI Supplemental Security Income. We expect few APA applicants or recipients will transfer resources and be affected by this policy. This new policy only applies to APA . Medicaid has a less restrictive transfer of resource policy that must be considered whenever an APA penalty is applied.
Implementation: Prospective budgeting for non-SSI Supplemental Security Income recipients and the transfer of resource penalty changes are both effective October 1, 2001. All other policy clarifications and changes are effective immediately upon receipt of this manual change.
If you have any questions or comments about this change, please contact any member of the Policy and Program Development Team at 465-3347 or email us at dpapolicy@health.state.ak.us.
The explanation of the manual changes and the affected manual sections are described below.
Explanation of Manual Changes
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Old Policy |
New Policy |
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States that an APA client whose income is within SSI Supplemental Security Income limits must be eligible for SSI Supplemental Security Income to be found eligible for APA . |
Adds an exception that allows APA eligibility when an APA transfer of resource penalty ends before the end of an SSI Supplemental Security Income transfer of resource penalty. |
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Directs staff to get a completed APA #5 form, “Authorization to Release Medical Information”, from APA applicants who need a state-only disability decision from the DDS Disability Determination Service. |
Changes the form to the Med #2 form, “Medical Release of Information”. |
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States that resource transfers for less than fair market value do not affect APA eligibility, but may affect an individual’s eligibility for institutionalized Medicaid coverage. |
Adds new policy to implement an APA penalty period for up to 36 months if an individual transfers a resource for less than its value on or after October 1, 2001. |
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New Section |
Provides policy guidance for estimating income prospectively.
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States that prize income, such as bingo or pull-tab winnings, may sometimes be anticipated in determining prospective eligibility. |
Changes policy to clarify prize winnings may not be anticipated, even if the individual has a previous pattern of winning. |
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Describes the retrospective budgeting process used to calculate payments for non-SSI Supplemental Security Income recipients. |
Adds new policy to implement prospective budgeting for non-SSI Supplemental Security Income recipients. All references to retrospective budgeting have been removed. Examples were also updated with January 1, 2001 payment standards |
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When determining eligibility and payment amounts, SSA COLA Cost of Living Allowance increases are budgeted prospectively, but other types of income are still subject to retrospective budgeting. |
Removes references to retrospective budgeting. |
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States that it is only necessary to confirm Alaska residency and continued receipt of SSI Supplemental Security Income for the annual review process for SSI Supplemental Security Income recipients.
States that APA payments to non- SSI Supplemental Security Income recipients remain in retrospective budgeting if there is not a one-month break in benefits. |
Clarifies that EIS Eligibility Information System will confirm Alaska residency and continued receipt of SSI Supplemental Security Income.
Removes all references to retrospective budgeting. |
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States that a person may be retrospectively ineligible for APA , but prospectively eligible for Medicaid. |
Removes all references to retrospective eligibility for APA . |
Manual Change Filing Instructions
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Remove Old Pages |
Insert New Pages |
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C-3 through C-4 |
C-3 through C-4 |
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H-5 through H-8 |
H-5 through H-8 |
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Chapter Contents (Chapter 433) |
Chapter Contents (Chapter 433) |
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M-1 through M-14 |
M-1 through M-14 |
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Chapter Contents (Chapter 440) |
Chapter Contents (Chapter 440) |
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N-11 through N-16 |
N-11 through N-16 |
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O-13 through O-14 |
O-13 through O-14 |
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Chapter Contents (Chapter 452) |
Chapter Contents (Chapter 452) |
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T-1 through T-4 |
T-1 through T-4 |
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T-9 through T-10 |
T-9 through T-10 |
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X-1 through X-2 |
X-1 through X-2 |
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X-5 through X-6 |
X-5 through X-6 |