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

2.3.1.1 Mandatory Verifications (Archive)

Mandatory verifications must be verified through an available electronic data source or by paper proof, if electronic data sources are unsuccessful or unavailable. Self-attestation of certain eligibility factors may be accepted if electronic data sources are unsuccessful or unavailable and paper proof does not exist or is not available.

Medical Assistance for People Who Are Age 65 or Older and People Who Are Blind or Have a Disability (MA-ABD) has the following mandatory verifications.

Assets
- Verification of assets is required at application, renewal, and when a new asset is reported.
- - At renewal, an excluded asset that was verified does not need to be verified again unless the asset has changed, to determine whether the change affects the exclusion.
  - An applicant or enrollee must verify assets even if the Account Validation Service (AVS) was requested.
  Assets that are counted for a person with an asset limit must be verified even if the asset belongs to a person who is not applying for Medical Assistance (MA) or does not have an asset limit.
- Verification of the following assets are not required at application or renewal:
- - Homestead if it qualifies for the exclusion. Refer to Section 2.3.3.2.7.4.1 MA-ABD Homestead Real Property for more information.
  - Vehicle, if only one is reported. Refer to Section 2.3.3.2.7.7 MA-ABD Automobiles and Other Vehicles Used for Transportation for more information.
  - Household goods and personal effects
Certification of Disability through Social Security Administration (SSA) or State Medical Review Team (SMRT) for people claiming a blind or disabled basis of eligibility
Income
- If a person is receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), only the SSI income is verified. Eligibility for SSI is accepted as verification of other income SSA considers in determining eligibility.
  
  Note: Veteran's Administration (VA) Aid and Attendance benefits and VA unusual medical expense payments must be verified even if the person is receiving SSI.
Immigration status
Medical expenses to meet a spenddown
Social Security Number
U.S. Citizenship

County, tribal and state servicing agencies must retain verification documentation in accordance with the County Human Service Records Retention Schedule (DHS-6928).

Self-Attestation

Self-attestation, either verbal or in writing, of the following eligibility factors may be accepted if electronic data sources are unsuccessful or unavailable and paper proof does not exist or is not available:

Income
Assets
Medical expenses to meet a spenddown
Certification of Disability through Social Security Administration (SSA) or State Medical Review Team (SMRT)
Exceptions to having a Social Security Number

Paper proof is considered not available if neither the applicant or enrollee, nor the agency can obtain it. The county, tribal and state servicing agency must make efforts to assist the applicant or enrollee in obtaining the requested paper proof, if it exists. This includes obtaining authorization from the applicant or enrollee to contact a third party on their behalf, if appropriate. Decisions to accept an applicant’s or enrollee’s self-attestation must be based on the individual case circumstances.

Self-attestation cannot be accepted in lieu of electronic verification or paper documentation of an applicant or enrollee’s citizenship, immigration status, or social security number.

Legal Citations

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.407

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.541

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.920

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.945

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.948

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.949

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.952

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.956