MC #25 (1/03)

MEMORANDUM

DATE: January 3, 2003

THROUGH: Chris Ashenbrenner, Acting Director

Division of Public Assistance

FROM: Bob Labbe, Director

Division of Medical Assistance

RE: Medical Assistance Manual Change #25

The Division of Medical Assistance presents Medical Assistance Manual Change #25. This manual change includes new policies, clarifications and technical corrections.

Thanks to the field staff who provided time to review and comment on our prior and current manual changes. We appreciate your input as this directly results in our continuous improvement efforts for a user friendly Medical Assistance Manual.

If you have any questions, please contact the Division of Medical Assistance by email at dpapolicy@health.state.ak.us. Your questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

The changes to the Medical Assistance policies are listed below.

5000 Introduction to Medicaid

This section adds policy information on required verification and documentation.

5007-2 Continuous Eligibility and Transitional Medicaid

This section adds policy clarification that when considering eligibility for Transitional Medicaid because stepparent deeming rules apply, children remain on Family Medicaid.

5011 United States Citizenship

This section adds new policy for aliens who entered the U.S. United States prior to 8/22/96. An undocumented alien must provide proof of his or her claimed date of entry to be eligible for Medicaid upon obtaining qualified alien status. Also corrects cross referencing of other related policy sections, removes the transitional provisions and adds policy on the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement ( SAVE ) program.

5012 Alaska Residency

This section adds additional policy for when an individual is a resident of Alaska and has plans to relocate.

5020 Financial Eligibility

This section adds additional policy on differences between APA Adult Public Assistance policies that do not apply to Medicaid-only cases by including pursuit of SSI Supplemental Security Income that is not a requirement of Medicaid, removes outdated APA Adult Public Assistance suspension policy due to retrospective budgeting. Also clarifies Family Medicaid minor parent deeming rules.

5031 Permanent Fund Dividend

This section removes outdated policy on Medicaid PFD Permanent Fund Dividend Hold Harmless.

5032 Federal Poverty Guidelines For Alaska

This section updates the Federal Poverty Guidelines for Alaska effective April 1, 2002.

5035 Residents of Public and Penal Institutions

This section updates language for juveniles in correctional facilities to receive their medical care through the Division of Juvenile Justice.

5104-2 Household Combinations

5104-5 Children Receiving SSI Supplemental Security Income or Foster Care Maintenance Payments

These sections address policy to include eligibility only for a specified relative within 5th degree of kinship when he or she is serving as a foster parent to a dependent child receiving federal, state, or local foster care maintenance payments.

5120 Nontemporary Absences

This section adds new policy to determine when a child is considered to be living independently from his or her parents.

5152 Countable Resources

This section restructures the subsection on counting real property against the resource limit and removes the vehicle policy.

5154 Exempt Resources

This section includes the vehicle policy and is updated with policy to determine fair market value by using the NADA Appraisal Guides on the Internet. The subscription to the Red Books has been cancelled, as it was no longer cost effective to pay for the Red Books. Also removes subsection on necessary information and verification, which is now included under Manual Section 5000.

5156 Special Resource Provisions

This section is updated with detailed policy on types of employment related funds and when they are considered available. Also provides additional policy guidance on ANCSA Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act assets.

5160 Income

This section is updated to combine sporadic and irregular income into one section, and corrects a technical error on minor parent deeming regardless if they are married or emancipated. Also removes detailed instructions on deeming the income of the sponsor of an alien. Policy is evolving with the new affidavits of support and caseworkers are asked to contact DMA policy for guidance on how to deem the income of the alien sponsor.

5161 Exempt Income

This section clarifies policy on countable AmeriCorps stipends and living expense payments. Also adds policy on exempting subsidized guardianship payments.

5164 Earnings from Self-Employment

This section updates the Annualization Standards 185% FPG Federal Poverty Guidelines chart for Alaska effective April 1, 2002; and removes outdated “Settling Up” Policy Difference Chart.

5165 Income Disregards

This section clarifies that child care or dependent care expenses will be allowed when incurred. Any incurred expenses claimed which are not verified will not be allowed as a deduction.

5172- Income Eligibility

This section updates the Medicaid Need Standards for 2003.

5185 Case Changes and Maintenance

This section adds policy under the change reporting requirements to include when anyone starts, stops or has changes in health insurance coverage.

5220 Transitional Medicaid

This section removes language regarding TR2 being mailed to recipients. The TR2 is no longer mailed due to revisions of the TR1 Transitional Medicaid Report.

5310 Pregnant Woman Eligibility

5320 Pregnant Woman Postpartum Eligibility

5340 Children Under Age 19

These sections add updated EIS Eligibility Information System information with additional subtype codes effective October 1, 2002. These subtype codes are added to distinguish individuals for whom the state can claim enhanced funding under Title XXI.

5526 Disability Determinations

New section (previously in section 5040). Updates language from Disability Determination Unit (DDU) to Disability Determination Service (DDS), and corrects mailing address. Also replaces reference from Older Alaskans Commission to Division of Senior Services.

5800 Breast/Cervical Cancer Medicaid Eligibility

This section updates the 250% FPG Federal Poverty Guidelines income eligibility chart effective April 1, 2002. Also updates name and address of eligibility worker, Kim Hess in the Coastal Field Office to process applications for this program.

MANUAL CHANGE INSTRUCTIONS

Remove old pages and replace with new pages as indicated below:

REMOVE	INSERT
Table of Contents, Pages i – xi	Table of Contents, Pages i -xii
Part A Table of Contents, Pages GP-i – GP-iv	Part A TOC, Pages GP-i -GP-iv
Page GP-3 – GP-4	Pages GP-3 – GP-4b
Pages GP-9b – GP-9c	Pages GP-9b – GP-9c
Pages GP-10c – GP-10q	Pages GP-10c – GP-10q
Pages 13 – 13b	Pages GP-13 – GP-13b
Pages 14 – 14d	Pages GP-14 – GP-14a
Pages 15 – 15b	Pages GP-15 – GP-15a
Part B Table of Contents, Pages FM Family Medicaid-i – FM Family Medicaid-vi	Part B TOC, Pages FM Family Medicaid-i – FM Family Medicaid-vi
Pages FM Family Medicaid-37a – FM Family Medicaid-37h	Pages FM Family Medicaid-37a – FM Family Medicaid-37h
Pages FM Family Medicaid-38a – FM Family Medicaid-38r	Pages FM Family Medicaid-38a – FM Family Medicaid-38r
Page FM Family Medicaid-40a – FM Family Medicaid-40b	Pages FM Family Medicaid-40a – FM Family Medicaid-40b
Pages FM Family Medicaid 40g – FM Family Medicaid 40l	Pages FM Family Medicaid-40g – FM Family Medicaid-40h
Pages FM Family Medicaid 41a – FM Family Medicaid-41h	Pages FM Family Medicaid-41a – FM Family Medicaid-41h
Pages FM Family Medicaid-42a – FM Family Medicaid-42h	Pages FM Family Medicaid-42a – FM Family Medicaid-42l
Pages FM Family Medicaid-43a – FM Family Medicaid-43l	Pages FM Family Medicaid-43a – FM Family Medicaid-43n
Pages FM Family Medicaid-44a – FM Family Medicaid-44h	Pages FM Family Medicaid-44a – FM Family Medicaid-44h
Pages FM Family Medicaid-47g – FM Family Medicaid-47t	Pages FM Family Medicaid-47g – FM Family Medicaid-47t
Pages FM Family Medicaid-48a – FM Family Medicaid-48d	Pages FM Family Medicaid-48a – FM Family Medicaid-48d
Pages FM Family Medicaid-49a – FM Family Medicaid-49h	Pages FM Family Medicaid-49a – FM Family Medicaid-49h
Pages FM Family Medicaid-50a – FM Family Medicaid-50b	Pages FM Family Medicaid-50a – FM Family Medicaid-50b
Pages FM Family Medicaid-52k – FM Family Medicaid-52n	Pages FM Family Medicaid-52k – FM Family Medicaid-52n
Pages FM Family Medicaid-53e - FM Family Medicaid-53h	Pages FM Family Medicaid-53e – FM Family Medicaid-53h
Pages FM Family Medicaid-53m – FM Family Medicaid-53n	Pages FM Family Medicaid-53m – FM Family Medicaid-53n
Part C Table of Contents, Pages AP-i – AP-ii	Part C TOC, Pages AP-i - AP-ii
-------	Pages 55e – 55h
Pages 74 - 75	Pages 74 - 75
Index, Pages 1 – 7	Index, Pages 1 - 7

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