MinnesotaCare

3.2.4 Social Security Number (Archive)

The Department of Human Services (DHS) uses Social Security numbers (SSNs) to identify applicants and enrollees and to administer MinnesotaCare. DHS matches SSNs against records in electronic data sources to identify and verify household income and household size based on the most recent tax return filed by the household tax filer.

All people seeking MinnesotaCare must provide an SSN if they have one.

A person who is not applying for coverage cannot be required to provide an SSN.

Verification

Each applicant’s SSN must be verified electronically with the Social Security Administration (SSA). If an applicant cannot recall his or her SSN, the county, tribal or state servicing agency must assist the applicant in:

• Contacting the SSA to confirm the applicant’s SSN if one has already been issued, or

• Resolving discrepancies in the case file that are preventing successful electronic verification.

Eligibility cannot be delayed for an otherwise eligible applicant pending the verification of a SSN. A notice must be sent to the person to inform them that they have 95 days from the date of the notice to resolve an inconsistency. The 95 day period can be extended if the applicant is making a good faith effort to resolve the verification.  

A newly issued or corrected SSN must be electronically verified with the SSA. The agency must assist the applicant in resolving discrepancies in the case file that are preventing successful verification. Electronic verification is ultimately required to verify a person’s SSN.

MinnesotaCare is ended with 10-day advance notice, if after the 95-day period the enrollee fails to follow through with the SSN verification process.

Legal Citations

Code of Federal Regulations, title 45, section 155.305

Code of Federal Regulations, title 45, section 155.310

Code of Federal Regulations, title 45, section 155.315

Minnesota Statutes, section 256L.04

Published: April 1, 2018

Archived: June 1, 2019