APA - Alaska Adult Public Assistance Manual
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MEMORANDUM

 

DATE:         June 1, 2004

 

TO:               Adult Public Assistance Manual Holders

 

FROM:         Ellie Fitzjarrald, Chief

                      Policy and Program Development Team

 

SUBJECT: Adult Public Assistance Manual Change #8

 

This manual change implements three new APAAdult Public Assistance policies: changes to the date that eligibility for APAAdult Public Assistance may begin; a new payment standard for persons residing in assisted living homes; and ending the replacement of SSISupplemental Security Income benefits that are reduced because of in-kind income.  This manual change also clarifies the policy for counting VADepartment of Veterans Affairs payments as income, makes numerous technical changes and corrections, and includes a new index.

 

These policy changes are effective July 1, 2004.  More information about each of these changes and how to implement them is included below. EISEligibility Information System changes needed to implement these changes are scheduled to be in place on June 1, 2004, and will be announced by broadcast.

 

If you have any questions, please contact any member of the Policy and Program Development Team at 465-3347 or e-mail us at dpapolicy@health.state.ak.us.

 

NEW APAAdult Public Assistance POLICIES

 

1. NEW BENEFIT START DATE FOR APAAdult Public Assistance CASH BENEFITS

 

Effective July 1, 2004, the APAAdult Public Assistance benefit start date for an applicant who is not eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income , or who needs a disability determination, will begin the first day of the month after the Social Security Administration issues written notice of the applicants eligibility for SSISupplemental Security Income or Disability Insurance benefits.  For state-only determinations, the APAAdult Public Assistance benefit start date will begin the first day of the month after the Disability Determination Service ( DDS ) notifies the Division that the applicant is disabled.

 

 

 

 

Implementation:   APA workers will need to begin using the new APAAdult Public Assistance benefit start date policy for all APAAdult Public Assistance applications that are received on or after July 1, 2004.   APA applicants who applied before July 1, 2004 are still entitled to receive APAAdult Public Assistance benefits under the old rules and will need to have their eligibility determined accordingly (back to the date the APAAdult Public Assistance application is received, the date the applicant meets all APAAdult Public Assistance eligibility requirements, or the date of beginning SSISupplemental Security Income eligibility, whichever is later).

 

The following EISEligibility Information System notices have been updated to reflect the new APAAdult Public Assistance benefit start date policy:

 

Notice #

Notice Title

Situation

P021

Authorization for Reimbursement Needed

Requests a completed Authorization for Reimbursement of Interim Assistance.

P101

APAAdult Public Assistance Personal Needs Approved

Gives APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid start dates for APAAdult Public Assistance recipients in long term care.

P102

APAAdult Public Assistance Application Approved

Gives the APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid benefit start dates for APAAdult Public Assistance approvals.

P302

APAAdult Public Assistance Held for Disability Decision

Advises applicants that their application is being held while waiting for a state-only disability determination.

 

 

 

 

2. NEW APAAdult Public Assistance PAYMENT LEVEL FOR APAAdult Public Assistance RECIPIENTS RESIDING IN ASSISTED LIVING HOMES

 

Beginning July 1, 2004, the need and payment standards for residents of assisted living home homes are as follows:

 

Living Arrangement

Need Std.

Max. Pymt.

Individual, In Assisted Living Home ( H1E )

$1,047

 $664

Couple, One Eligible, In Assisted Living Home ( H2S )

$1,259

$664

Couple, Both Eligible, In Assisted Living Home ( H2C )

$1,551

$1,046

 

   

The Assisted Living Home payment standard equals the current SSISupplemental Security Income Payment plus $100 for personal needs.  The monthly payment is limited to no more than $100.

 

Individuals who have countable income that is higher than the new maximum payment standard, but less than the need standard will still qualify for a $1 APAAdult Public Assistance payment.  This $1 payment allows the resident to qualify for Medicaid as an APAAdult Public Assistance recipient.

 

Implementation.  We are matching recipient data with the Division of Senior and Disability Services and the Division of Behavioral Health, and expect approximately 550 APAAdult Public Assistance recipients to be impacted by this change.  A list of affected recipients will be provided to APAAdult Public Assistance offices by June 1.   APA workers will need to review each case, redetermine the payment using the new payment standard, and send notice of adverse action about any reduction.  A new EISEligibility Information System notice, P712, APAAdult Public Assistance Decrease Assisted Living Home, has been created for this purpose.  Cases affected by this change must have payments adjusted as soon as possible, but no later than August 2004.

 

Note:  In the near future, the personal needs allowance for Medicaid home and community based waiver recipients living in assisted living homes will also be aligned with this policy, and reduced to $664. We are waiting for the necessary EISEligibility Information System programming and notice changes to be completed. Once this occurs, Long Term Care caseworkers will be provided with additional implementation instructions.

 

3. ENDING THE REPLACEMENT OF FEDERAL SSISupplemental Security Income BENEFITS THAT ARE LOST DUE TO IN-KIND INCOME

 

Beginning July 1, 2004, the APAAdult Public Assistance program will no longer replace SSISupplemental Security Income benefits that are reduced or ended because of in-kind income.

 

Currently, APAAdult Public Assistance recipients who have their SSISupplemental Security Income benefits reduced or ended because of in-kind income receive a higher APAAdult Public Assistance payment to make up for the lost SSISupplemental Security Income benefits.   These persons will need to have their APAAdult Public Assistance payment recalculated.  We expect that about 450 APAAdult Public Assistance recipients will be affected by this change.

  

Implementation.  

 

A list of APAAdult Public Assistance cases that may be affected by this new policy will be provided to APAAdult Public Assistance offices by June 1.   APA workers will need to review each case, recalculate the benefit by subtracting the applicable SSISupplemental Security Income income standard from the APAAdult Public Assistance payment standard, reauthorize the payment, and send notice of adverse action about the benefit reduction.  A new EISEligibility Information System notice, P713, APAAdult Public Assistance Decrease SSISupplemental Security Income Replacement Ends, has been created for this purpose.  Cases affected by this change must have payments adjusted as soon as possible, but no later than August 2004.

 

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

 

Section 410-10, Period Covered by Application Makes technical changes to accommodate new policy on when APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid benefits may begin.
 

Section 410-11, Initial Month Benefits Adds a new section to explain when APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid benefits may begin.  References to three-month retroactive Medicaid coverage that were previously contained in manual section 410-10 and 420-2C are now included in this new section.
 

Section 410-12, Notice of Finding on Application This section is renumbered from 410-11 to 410-12 (to make room for new section 410-11, Initial Month Benefits).
 

Section 420-2C, Benefits to APAAdult Public Assistance Applicants Pending an SSISupplemental Security Income Decision Removes policy regarding benefit start dates for APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid.  These policies are now included in manual section 410-11, Initial Month Benefits.
 

Section 420-3C, Social Security Administration ( SSA ) Insurance Clarifies the age at which Social Security retirement benefits are available.
 

Section 425-2B, Presumptive Disability Decisions Clarifies that APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid benefits may be authorized retroactive to the month that SSISupplemental Security Income benefits are resumed from suspended or non-pay status.
 

Section 425-2C, SSASocial Security Administration Blindness or Disability Adds a cross reference to new manual section 410-11, Initial Month Benefits.
 

Section 425-3A, Blind or Disabled Applicants Who Have Been Found Eligible for SSASocial Security Administration , but Do Not Appear Eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income Removes language regarding APAAdult Public Assistance and Medicaid benefit start dates.  This information is now described in the new manual section 410-11, Initial Month Benefits.
 

Section 425-3B, Blind or Disabled Applicants Who Appear Eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income Removes policy that lists eligibility requirements for Interim Assistance and adds a cross reference to manual section 426-2, Eligibility Requirements for Interim Assistance.
 

Section 425-3C, Blind or Disabled Applicants Who Do Not Appear Eligible for SSISupplemental Security Income and Have Not Been Determined Eligible for SSASocial Security Administration Disability Adds a cross reference to manual section 410-11, Initial Month Benefits.
 

Section 426-2E, IARInterim Assistance Reimbursement Authorization Requirement Eliminates reference to retroactive APAAdult Public Assistance benefits.
 

Section 426-3B, IARInterim Assistance Reimbursement Authorizations Updates the distribution list to say, copy to ( as shown on current version of form), instead of yellow copy and pink copy.
 

Section 426-3C, Interim Assistance Reimbursement Process Replaces SYSM with E-mail.
 

Sections 426-7, Converting Interim Assistance to Regular Adult Public Assistance Clarifies when APAAdult Public Assistance benefits may begin after the Interim Assistance ends, and removes policy on retroactive APAAdult Public Assistance /Medicaid benefits.
 

Section 433-3, Permanent Fund Dividend Removes Medicaid policy on the treatment of PFDPermanent Fund Dividend payments.
 

Section 440-1, Income Defined Eliminates the references to Alaska Longevity Bonus ( ALB ) payments.
 

Section 440-2, When Income is Counted Eliminates policy on retroactive APAAdult Public Assistance benefit calculations.
 

Section 441-2C, Department of Veterans Affairs Payments Clarifies how augmented portions of VADepartment of Veterans Affairs Pension, Compensation, or Educational Assistance payments are treated as income.
 

Section 450-1, APAAdult Public Assistance and SSISupplemental Security Income Living Arrangements Adds Assisted Living Home to the list of living arrangements, and clarifies that the SSISupplemental Security Income living arrangement policy is not the same as APAAdult Public Assistance policy for an individual residing in an assisted living home.
 

Section 450-2, Living Independently ( SSI A Living Arrangement) Replaces the term Adult Residential or Foster Care Facility with assisted living home, and clarifies that while the SSISupplemental Security Income program considers an assisted living home resident to be living independently, the APAAdult Public Assistance program does not.  Instead, the APAAdult Public Assistance program applies the assisted living home payment standard to these individuals.
 

Section 450-4, Living in an Assisted Living Home Adds a new section to describe new APAAdult Public Assistance living arrangement for assisted living home residents.  Manual sections 450-5 and 450-6 are renumbered to make room for new manual section 450-4.   
 

Section 452-2, Budgeting Exception for SSISupplemental Security Income Cases in Which an Ineligible Spouse Receives Income Removes policy regarding replacement of SSISupplemental Security Income benefits lost due to in-kind income.  Reformats the section to clarify the budgeting exception for SSISupplemental Security Income cases in which an ineligible spouse receives income.
 

Section 452-5, Computation of Benefits Removes policy on the replacement of SSISupplemental Security Income benefits that are lost due to in-kind income, and adds a new subsection for APAAdult Public Assistance payments to assisted living home residents.
 

Section 452-6, Case Controls During the SSISupplemental Security Income Appeal Process Removes policy on initial month APAAdult Public Assistance benefits and retroactive Medicaid benefits.  These policies are now included in manual section 410-11, Initial Month Benefits.
 

Section 452-7B, Payment to a Third Party Adds reference to optional use of APAAdult Public Assistance #14 form, Adult Public Assistance Protective Payee Agreement.
 

Section 452-12, Retroactive APAAdult Public Assistance Benefit Calculations Revised to clarify when an applicant is eligible for retroactive APAAdult Public Assistance and how the retroactive APAAdult Public Assistance benefit is calculated.
 

Addendum 1, Program Standards Updates the APAAdult Public Assistance Need Standards table to show the need standards that apply to persons residing in assisted living homes.  Revises the APAAdult Public Assistance Maximum Payment Standards table to show the new APAAdult Public Assistance payment standards for persons residing in assisted living homes.
 

Index Revised to accommodate location of new and/or revised policies.

 

 

REVISED FORMS

 

Listed below are the DPADivision of Public Assistance forms that have been updated to support these policy changes.  Revisions to the Gen 50B application are underway, and will be included in the next distribution to offices in July.  The revised Interim Assistance Reimbursement Authorization (Gen 142 ) form is available on-line, and should be used with all APAAdult Public Assistance applications received on or after July 1, 2004.  A supply of the revised Gen 142 will also be mailed to offices.

 

Form #

Form Name

Changes

Gen 5B

APAAdult Public Assistance Budget Worksheet

Allows workers to indicate if recipient lives in an assisted living home, and removes references to Alaska Longevity Bonus and in-kind income in the eligibility and payment calculations.

Gen 50B

Application for Services

Advises applicant that APAAdult Public Assistance benefits may not start from the date of application.

Gen 52

Information You Need to Know When Applying for Assistance

Corrects the description of Chronic and Acute Medical Assistance ( CAMA ) and advises applicant that APAAdult Public Assistance benefits may not start from the date of application.

Gen 142

Interim Assistance Reimbursement Authorization

Removes the sentence advising applicant that he or she will not be eligible for retroactive APAAdult Public Assistance if they sign the form.

 

 

MANUAL CHANGE FILING INSTRUCTIONS

 

Remove Old Pages
 

Insert New Pages
 

Chapter Contents (Chapter 410)

Chapter Contents (Chapter 410)

B-9 through B12

B-9 through B14

C-5 through C-6

C-5 through C-6

C-9 through C10

C-9 through C10

H-3 through H-8

H-3 through H-8

Chapter Contents (Chapter 426)

Chapter Contents (Chapter 426)

I-7 through I-12

 I-7 through I-12

I-15 through I-20

I-15 through I-18

M-13 through M-14

M-13 through M-14

N-1 through N-2

N-1 through N-2

O-5 through O-6

O-5 through O-6

O-9 through O-10

O-9 through O-10

Chapter Contents (Chapter 450)

Chapter Contents (Chapter 450)

R-1 through R-4

R-1 through R-4

Chapter Contents (Chapter 452)

Chapter Contents (Chapter 452)

T-3 through T-22

T-3 through T-22

Addendum 1

Addendum 1

Old Index

New Index