5005-4        THE INTERVIEW

5005-4 A.   When is an Interview Required?

Interviews are mandatory for all initial applicants.

Note:

If a client has an active public assistance case and submits a new application for Medicaid, an interview is not required unless the caseworker feels it is necessary to correctly determine eligibility.

Exception:

Interviews are not required for Denali KidCare applications.

5005-4 B.   Who Must Participate in The Interview?

A member of the applicant household who can sign the application form or an individual authorized by the household must participate in the interview.

5005-4 C.   Who Can Conduct the Interview?

1. DPA Division of Public Assistance Caseworker:  Most individuals will be interviewed by a DPA Division of Public Assistance caseworker in the DPA Division of Public Assistance office or by telephone.
    

2. DPA Division of Public Assistance-contracted Fee Agent:  In communities where there is no DPA Division of Public Assistance Office, the fee agent conducts the interview for individuals who want to apply for public assistance.  The fee agent will complete a Fee Agent Interview Report form (FA #1) and submit it with each application.
    

3. Native Family Assistance Program ( NFAP Native Family Assistance Program ) Agency:  We will accept the NFAP Native Family Assistance Program interview, if one is conducted, and not require the individual to be interviewed again.  If the NFAP Native Family Assistance Program interview notes are not provided with the application, the caseworker should obtain them from the NFAP Native Family Assistance Program agency.

Note:  

Regardless of who conducts the interview, if additional information or verification is needed to process the application, the caseworker will contact the applicant to get this information.

5005-4 D.   How to conduct an interview

Interviews can be conducted face-to-face, by phone or, in rare circumstances when a face-to-face or phone interview is not possible, by correspondence.

The caseworker may require a face-to-face interview if they determine it is appropriate to the situation unless attending in person is a hardship to the household.  A face-to-face interview must be provided when requested by the household

5005-4 E.   Scheduling Interviews

Interviews must be scheduled for applicants who cannot be interviewed on the day they submit an application.

The interview must be scheduled timely to ensure eligible households have an opportunity to participate within 30 days after the application is filed.

Applicants may have anyone they choose with them at the interview.  During the interview, applicants must be informed of their rights and responsibilities and basic program procedures.

When the applicant fails to participate in a scheduled interview and does not reschedule, the application is denied.  If the household contacts the office within 30 days of the application filing date, the office must schedule an interview.  If the household is determined eligible, the original application is used and benefits start based on the date the application was filed.

Note:  

If an application is registered on EIS Eligibility Information System as a Medicaid request for service (RM), EIS Eligibility Information System will automatically deny the application.  The denial action is done on or after the 30th day from the date the application was filed, depending on when the weekly denial job is run. The household is notified via a system-generated notice X023, No Medicaid Interview.

5005-4 F.   Changes Reported During the Interview

Applicant households must report all changes affecting their eligibility or benefits during the interview.

Changes reported after the interview, but before a case decision is made, will be considered in the initial eligibility determination.

When the household reports a new household member before a case decision is made, the new member is considered part of the household.  The benefit start date is used to determine the benefits for the household, including the new member.  See Section 5002-3 for policy under the one day-one month principle.

The individual must be in the home at least one day of the month to be included in that month.  However, when the household reports prior to the eligibility determination that a person moved out, that person is not considered part of the household for any month.

Example # 1:  

A household applies May 27.  At the interview on June 5, the individual reports her spouse moved in on May 30.  The spouse is considered part of the household and the household’s benefit start date is May 1.  If the spouse moved in on June 3, the spouse is included in the household effective June 1.

Example #2:    

A household applies on July 28th and is interviewed August 9th.  During the interview, the individual reports that her husband moved out on August 4th and is not expected to return.  The husband is not considered part of the household for either July or August, and verification of his income and resources are not needed.  Income and resources available to the household must still be considered.