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

2.3.3.1 Household Composition and Family Size (Archive)

Household composition means the people included in an applicant's or enrollee’s household. Household composition determines the family size. Household composition and family size are factors used to determine financial eligibility.

Household composition and family size are determined for each person separately. Household composition and family size may be different for each person on an application or in a household.

Adults

Household composition includes the following people living at least one full calendar month with the adult using the age 65 or older, blind or disabled basis of eligibility:

The person
The person’s spouse
The person’s biological or adoptive children younger than age 21 of the person
- A child who is temporarily absent from the parent’s home is included in the parent’s household composition, such as a student away at school for the school year
- A child who alternates living with separated or divorced parents is in the household in which he or she spends the most time
The person’s spouse’s biological or adoptive children younger than age 21
- The spouse must also be living with the applicant or enrollee, or be temporarily absent to count these children in the person’s household composition

Emancipated minors are not included in an adult’s household composition.

The family size includes:

All of the people in the person’s household composition
Unborn children of the person or their spouse included in the household composition

Children

Household composition includes the following people living at least one full calendar month with a child using the aged, blind or disabled basis of eligibility:

The child
The child's biological, adoptive or stepparents
Full, half or stepsiblings younger than age 21, who have a mutual parent living in the home, or who is temporarily absent. Emancipated minors are not included.
The child's spouse
The child's minor children

The family size includes:

All of the people in the person’s household composition
Unborn children of the child or the child’s biological, adoptive or stepparents included in the household composition

Emancipated children follow the adult household composition policy.

Other Household Composition Policies

Different household composition policies apply for applicants and enrollees using the aged, blind or disabled basis of eligibility in the following situations:

Legal Citations

Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.602

Minnesota Statutes, section 256.01