Medical Assistance for People Who Are Age 65 or Older or People Who Are Blind or Have a Disability

2.3.1.2 Account Validation Service (AVS)

County, tribal and state servicing agencies must use the Account Validation Service (AVS) to electronically check for unreported financial accounts that might be counted for applicants and enrollees whose MA basis of eligibility is MA-ABD and who have an asset test.

The servicing agency must use the AVS at application and when an enrollee’s basis of eligibility changes to MA-ABD with an asset test. This includes people who:

Live in the community
Live in a long-term care facility and request Medical Assistance for payment of long term care (MA-LTC) with an ABD basis of MA.
Request services through a home and community-based services (HCBS) program (Brain Injury [BI], Community Alternative Care [CAC], Community Access for Disability Inclusion [CADI], Developmental Disabilities [DD] or Elderly Waiver [EW])
Request coverage under Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)
Request coverage under Medicare Savings Programs (MSP)

The servicing agency must use the AVS for the applicant or enrollee’s spouse, sponsor, or sponsor’s spouse when their assets are a part of the person’s MA determination.

AVS Requirements

The county, tribal or state servicing agencies must:

Obtain all required information on the Authorization to Obtain Financial Information form (DHS-7823) for the Account Validation Service (AVS) prior to accessing the AVS. See 2.3.1.3 Authorization to Obtain Information.
Check the AVS results a minimum of 10-days after the date the request was submitted and directly prior to approving eligibility at application.
Act on all unreported accounts, as follows:
- For applicants, unreported accounts must be verified before MA eligibility is approved.
- For enrollees, unreported accounts discovered after MA eligibility is approved are treated as inconsistent information. See 1.3.2.4 MHCP Inconsistent Information.
Maintain the AVS Summary Report in the person’s file at the time of making each eligibility determination.

Exceptions to the 10-day Waiting Period

County, tribal and state servicing agencies must submit a request through the AVS before approving eligibility , but must not delay the eligibility determination solely due to the 10-day AVS waiting period in the following situations:

An enrollee’s eligibility changes from MinnesotaCare or MA for families with children and adults (MA-FCA) to MA-ABD and results in the enrollee having an asset test.
When an enrollee is being determined eligible for MA-ABD in the month after MA-EPD closes for premium non-payment.
A person has an immediate medical need at application, such as but not limited to, the person:
- is in a doctor’s office, pharmacy, or hospital in need of services or coverage or has been refused medical services,
- is in immediate need of prescription medications, or
- has a high-risk pregnancy.

Legal Citations

United States Code, title 42, section 1396w