This manual letter lists new and revised material for the Health Care Programs Manual. Unless otherwise noted, new and revised instructions are effective September 1, 2011.
This manual letter incorporates sections of Bulletin #09-11-03, “DHS Announces Implementation of the Work Benefit Program,” that clarify how to evaluate income received from the Work Benefit (WB) Program.
Manual Letter #44 also adds a new section that provides information relating to household goods and personal effects, as well as a new category of assets: items that are acquired for their monetary value or as investments.
Chapter 3 - Eligibility Groups and Bases of Eligibility
Revises information about how to evaluate child income for the Minnesota Family Planning Program (MFPP).
Adds information about what documents need to be provided with applications.
The updates to this chapter include information about documents that need to be provided with applications as well as information about forms that are used to request Long-Term Care (LTC) services.
Chapter 13 - State and County Residence
Adds information about an interstate patient transfer agreement.
Chapter 14 - Living Arrangements
Updates information about non-Chemical Dependency (CD) halfway houses.
Chapter 15 - Third Party Liability (TPL)
The update to this chapter includes information relating to cost effective Medicare Premium reviews as well as the removal and archival of information relating to the Stay Well, Stay Working: Minnesota’s Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE) program.
Updates to this chapter include revisions to excluded assets, life estates, vehicles, and household goods and personal effects.
Incorporates Bulletin #09-11-03 and adds information about clinical trial payments and child income.
Chapter 22 - Standards and Guidelines
Updates information regarding the IRS mileage rate.
Chapter 23 - MA Payment of Long-Term (LTC) Services
Includes updated information about allowable deductions from the LTC income calculation and clarifies information about an LTC form.
Chapter 3 - Eligibility Groups and Bases of Eligibility
l Section 03.45.35 - Minnesota Family Planning Program (MFPP).
Removes information that instructed workers to exclude the earned income of a dependent child who is a full-time or part-time student and employed less than 37.5 hours per week. This change aligns MFPP child income with MA Method A child income, and requires workers to apply MA Method A income methodology for all household members.
l Section 5 - Client Rights.
Adds requirement that Domestic Violence Information (DHS-3477) must be included with applications provided to clients.
l Section 07.05 - How to Apply.
Adds information that Minnesota Health Care Programs (DHS-3182) and Domestic Violence Information (DHS-3477) must be included with applications provided to clients.
l Section 07.05.05 - Applications for Minnesota Health Care Programs.
Adds information about the forms that must be provided with an application, including a new requirement to include Domestic Violence Information (DHS-3477). Also, removes references to obsolete form, New Applicant Request for Payment of Long-Term Care Services (DHS-4803), and adds information about form, MHCP Request for Payment of Long-Term Care Services (DHS-3543).
l 07.05.15 - Application Not Required.
Adds clarification that an application is not needed for an MA enrollee who requests for QMB or SLMB. Additionally, removes a reference to obsolete form, New Applicant Request for Payment of Long-Term Care Services (DHS-4803), and adds information about form, MHCP Request for Payment of Long-Term Care Services (DHS-3543).
l 07.20.05 - Date of Application.
Adds information that any forms that need to be included will be automatically sent with the Minnesota Health Care Programs Application (DHS-3417) to clients who apply through the SSA Extra Help Process and who have a verified address.
Chapter 13 - State and County Residence
l Section 13.05.05 - Institutional Residence.
Provides new information about the Interstate Compact on Mental Health and how it affects eligibility.
Chapter 14 - Living Arrangements
l Section 14 - Living Arrangements.
Updates the term, non-CD halfway house, to correctional halfway house.
Chapter 15 - Third Party Liability (TPL)
l Section 15.10.05.10 - Medicare Cost Effective Premium Requirements.
Adds a requirement for a Medicare Part B cost effective review for persons who are removed from the MA buy-in as a result of living in an IMD and who have higher Medicare Part B premiums due to late enrollment.
l Section 15.20 - Creditable Coverage.
Removes and archives information relating to the obsolete program, Stay Well, Stay Working: Minnesota’s Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE).
l Section 19.10 - Excluded Assets.
Adds new information that allows for the exclusion of a portion of income assets received as compensation for participation in certain types of clinical trials. Additionally, removes the provision related to household goods and adds a link to the new section created for that information.
l Section 19.25 - Asset Types.
Adds information that classifies assets as either real property or personal property and adds a link to the new section, HCPM 19.25.60 - Household Goods and Personal Effects.
l Section 19.25.15.15 - Life Estates.
Provides clarification that a life estate that is an excluded asset cannot be counted in an asset assessment.
l Section 19.25.25 - Vehicles.
Updates information to provide clearer instructions for workers for the review of vehicle assets.
l Section 19.25.60 - Household Goods and Personal Effects (New).
Provides information on how to define and evaluate household goods and personal effects, as well as a new category of personal property: items acquired or held because of their monetary value or as investments.
l Section 20 - Income.
Adds clinical trial participation payments and payments from the WB program to the income index.
l Section 20.25.05 - Excluded Income.
Adds information that allows for an exclusion of a portion of income received as compensation for participation in certain types of clinical trials.
l Section 20.25.30 - Public Assistance Payments.
Incorporates Bulletin #09-11-03 to clarify how income received from the WB program should be processed for the different programs and income methodologies.
l Section 20.25.45 - Child Income.
Clarifies the age limit for applying the MA Method A income exclusions for child income.
Chapter 22 - Standards and Guidelines
l Section 22.30 - IRS Mileage Rate.
Updates the IRS mileage rate that is applicable for the period of July 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.
Chapter 23 - MA Payment of Long-Term (LTC) Services
l Section 23.15.10 - Deductions from LTC Countable Gross Income.
Adds co-payments and deductibles associated with Medicare and other health insurance as allowable deductions from the LTC income calculation.
l Section 23.15.10.15 - Medical Expense Deduction in the LTC Income Calculation.
Adds information that form, MHCP Request for Payment of Long-Term Services (DHS-3543), has a question to identify medical expenses and provides instruction on what action to take if the form is not completed.