APA - Alaska Adult Public Assistance Manual
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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 APAAdult Public Assistance policy changes with this manual change:  

 

 

This change also provides new guidance for anticipating monthly income and makes minor technical corrections.  

 

With prospective budgeting the APAAdult Public Assistance 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 SSISupplemental Security Income recipients because APAAdult Public Assistance payments to SSISupplemental Security Income recipients do not fluctuate from month to month; the APAAdult Public Assistance payment remains the same as long as the individual remains eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income.

 

The new APAAdult Public Assistance transfer of resource policy is being implemented to bring us into alignment with SSISupplemental Security Income. We expect few APAAdult Public Assistance applicants or recipients will transfer resources and be affected by this policy. This new policy only applies to APAAdult Public Assistance.  Medicaid has a less restrictive transfer of resource policy that must be considered whenever an APAAdult Public Assistance penalty is applied.

 

Implementation:  Prospective budgeting for non- SSI 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

 

Old Policy

New Policy
 

Section 420-2, Concurrent Participation in the SSISupplemental Security Income Program

States that an APAAdult Public Assistance client whose income is within SSISupplemental Security Income limits must be eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income to be found eligible for APAAdult Public Assistance.

Adds an exception that allows APAAdult Public Assistance eligibility when an APAAdult Public Assistance transfer of resource penalty ends before the end of an SSISupplemental Security Income transfer of resource penalty.
 

Section 425-3, Procedures for Initial Blindness or Disability Decisions

Directs staff to get a completed APAAdult Public Assistance #5 form, "Authorization to Release Medical Information," from APAAdult Public Assistance applicants who need a state-only disability decision from the DDSDisability Determination Service.

Changes the form to the Med #2Medical Release of Information Form form, "Medical Release of Information."
 

Section 433-1, Transfer of Resources

States that resource transfers for less than fair market value do not affect APAAdult Public Assistance eligibility, but may affect an individual’s eligibility for institutionalized Medicaid coverage.

Adds new policy to implement an APAAdult Public Assistance penalty period for up to 36 months if an individual transfers a resource for less than its value on or after October 1, 2001.
 

Section 440-4, Estimating Income

New Section

Provides policy guidance for estimating income prospectively.  

 
 

441-2, Unearned Income

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.
 

452-1, Payment Calculations

Describes the retrospective budgeting process used to calculate payments for non- SSI recipients.

Adds new policy to implement prospective budgeting for non- SSI recipients. All references to retrospective budgeting have been removed.  Examples were also updated with January 1, 2001 payment standards
 

452-3, Cost of Living Allowance ( COLA ) Increases

When determining eligibility and payment amounts, SSASocial Security Administration COLACost of Living Allowance increases are budgeted prospectively, but other types of income are still subject to retrospective budgeting.

Removes references to retrospective budgeting.
 

480-1, Reviews

States that it is only necessary to confirm Alaska residency and continued receipt of SSISupplemental Security Income for the annual review process for SSISupplemental Security Income recipients.

 

States that APAAdult Public Assistance payments to non- SSISupplemental Security Income recipients remain in retrospective budgeting if there is not a one-month break in benefits.

Clarifies that EISEligibility Information System will confirm Alaska residency and continued receipt of SSISupplemental Security Income .

 

 

 

Removes all references to retrospective budgeting.
 

480-5, Suspension and Termination

States that a person may be retrospectively ineligible for APAAdult Public Assistance , but prospectively eligible for Medicaid.

Removes all references to retrospective eligibility for APAAdult Public Assistance .

 

  

 

 

Manual Change Filing Instructions

 

Remove Old Pages
 

Insert New Pages
 

C-3 through C-4

C-3 through C-4

H-5 through H-8

H-5 through H-8

Chapter Contents (Chapter 433)

Chapter Contents (Chapter 433)

M-1 through M-14

M-1 through M-14

Chapter Contents (Chapter 440)

Chapter Contents (Chapter 440)

N-11 through N-16

N-11 through N-16

O-13 through O-14

O-13 through O-14

Chapter Contents (Chapter 452)

Chapter Contents (Chapter 452)

T-1 through T-4

T-1 through T-4

T-9 through T-10

T-9 through T-10

X-1 through X-2

X-1 through X-2

X-5 through X-6

X-5 through X-6