Effective: July 1, 2009 |
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07.10ar2 - Where to Apply (Archive) |
Archived: March 1, 2010 |
Clients have a choice of sites at which to apply for health care. This section explains where applicants may apply and when to process or transfer an application.
Applications Sent to County Agency.
Applications Sent to MinnesotaCare Operations.
County MinnesotaCare Enrollment Sites.
Some clients have the option of applying at two different locations.
l Clients who are applying for all health care programs should apply at the county agency where they live, which is their county of residence.
Note: The county of financial responsibility must accept an application from a client residing in another county, although the client has the option to file it with the county of residence.
l Clients who are applying for MinnesotaCare only should apply at either:
n MinnesotaCare Operations at DHS.
n The county agency where they live, if that county is a MCRE enrollment site.
Forward applications, related information and verifications to the agency processing the application, as necessary. See Shared or Transferred Applications.
Applications Sent to County Agency
Process applications sent to a county agency as follows:
l Determine eligibility for MA or GAMC first if the applicant requests all health care programs or does not indicate a choice of health care program. Deny MA and GAMC if the client is not eligible and either process MCRE eligibility or transfer the file to MCRE Operations at DHS. See Shared or Transferred Applications.
l If the applicant requests MinnesotaCare only, process as follows:
n Counties that are MinnesotaCare enrollment sites must determine MinnesotaCare eligibility. Do not determine MA or GAMC eligibility if MinnesotaCare is denied. Do not process or deny MA or GAMC.
n Counties that are not MinnesotaCare enrollment sites must transfer the application to MinnesotaCare Operations. See Shared or Transferred Applications.
Applications Sent to MinnesotaCare Operations
Process applications sent to MinnesotaCare Operations as follows:
l Process MinnesotaCare eligibility first if the application used does not allow the applicant to choose to apply for all health care programs or MinnesotaCare only (for example, a CAF or pre-1/09 HCAPP). Transfer the application to the county where the applicant resides if MinnesotaCare is denied, as appropriate. See Shared or Transferred Applications.
l Process as follows if the application allows the applicant to choose to apply for all health care programs or MinnesotaCare only:
n MA or GAMC eligibility must be determined first if the applicant requests all health care programs or does not indicate a choice of health care program. Transfer the application to the county to process MA or GAMC. See Shared or Transferred Applications.
n Determine eligibility for MinnesotaCare if the applicant requests MinnesotaCare only. See Informed Choice. Do not determine MA or GAMC eligibility if MinnesotaCare is denied. Do not process or deny MA or GAMC.
County MinnesotaCare Enrollment Sites
Clients may apply for MinnesotaCare at DHS MinnesotaCare Operations or at their county agency, if the county agency is a MCRE enrollment site. There are three types of county MCRE enrollment sites:
1. Type One sites offer processing of applications only. Follow instructions above in Applications Sent to a County Agency when processing these applications.
n These sites accept and process applications from county residents who have either:
m Never applied for MCRE.
m Had a break in eligibility for at least one calendar month.
n These sites transfer cases to MCRE Operations when all of the following have been completed:
m All mandatory verifications are received.
m MCRE is approved.
m The initial premium payment is received.
n Do not transfer applications to MCRE Operations if no household members are eligible.
2. Type Two sites offer processing of applications and continued case maintenance for county residents. Follow instructions above in Applications Sent to a County Agency.
3. Type Three sites offer processing of applications and continued case maintenance for county residents who meet the definition of current contacts. Follow instructions above in Applications Sent to a County Agency.
To be considered a current contact, households must meet at least one of the following factors:
n Include at least one member who is eligible for cash, food support, or MA/GAMC and have at least one member applying for MCRE.
n Include at least one member who is losing eligibility for MA, GAMC, or MFIP and who requests MCRE within 30 days of termination.
n Include at least one GAMC client who is required to apply for MCRE.
n Include at least one member who is denied for MA or GAMC and requests MCRE.
When people apply at MinnesotaCare Operations or a county MinnesotaCare enrollment site, the initial site retains the case until the applicant submits all verifications and DHS receives the initial premium payment, except in the following circumstances:
l MinnesotaCare Operations must transfer a case to a county agency when one of the following occurs:
n The client requests assistance from the county enrollment site to obtain verifications.
n MFIP, GA, MSA, MA, GAMC or Food Support are approved at a county agency for one or more members of a household.
n A county social worker is helping an applicant with the application process.
n An enrollee requests a transfer either verbally or in writing. Transfer the case file within five working days.
n A supervisor approves a transfer.
Clients may also apply at other locations besides the county for MA/GAMC. These include:
l Residents of Regional Treatment Centers (RTC) may file application with the RTC reimbursement officer who will take the application and forward it to the county of residence.
l Authorized representatives applying on a client’s behalf may apply in any of the following counties and that county will forward the application to the client’s county of residence after processing:
n The client’s county of residence.
n The client’s county of financial responsibility.
n The authorized representative’s county of residence.
Note: An authorized representative should send a HCAPP requesting MinnesotaCare only to MinnesotaCare Operations. MinnesotaCare Operations sends the application to the client’s county of residence for processing when the application is sent to MinnesotaCare Operations and the applicant does not request MinnesotaCare only.
l Pregnant women and children may apply at locations other than the county agency, known as outstation locations. These outstation locations may include:
n Hospitals.
n Clinics.
n Other county and state designated locations.
l Authorized providers may accept applications and determine presumptive eligibility for MA for Breast and Cervical Cancer (MA-BC).
l Providers may assist applicants who are unable to request health care at the time of admission to a facility in submitting a request for assistance to the county agency.
l Minnesota Community Application Agent (MNCAA) program sites may assist applicants with completing and filing an application. See bulletin #08-21-03, "DHS Introduces the Minnesota Community Application Agent Program."