This manual letter lists new and revised material for the Health Care Programs Manual (HCPM). Unless otherwise noted, new and revised instructions are effective January 1, 2013.
Manual Letter #57 provides revisions to policy related to the verification of assets for Medical Assistance (MA), the requirement for some MinnesotaCare clients to apply for MA, MinnesotaCare enrollment sites and the definition of medical support.
This manual letter includes the publication of the "2013 Amounts in Excess of Medicare Part D Benchmark to Apply as Medical Expense." Additionally, this manual letter updates Medicare cost sharing amounts and the list of Medicare Part D benchmark plans effective in 2013.
Manual Letter #57 also includes the addition of historical MinnesotaCare Premium Table information to the HCPM home page.
Chapter 3 - Eligibility Groups and Bases of Eligibility
Updates information about MinnesotaCare disabled adults without children who are required to apply for MA.
Chapter 4 - Social Security Administration (SSA) Benefits
Updates Medicare Part D Benchmark Plan information for 2013.
Revises information about MinnesotaCare enrollment sites and the transfer of applications for MinnesotaCare disabled adults without children who are required to apply for MA.
Updates policy for the verification of assets for MA Method A.
Chapter 22 - Standards and Guidelines
Includes annual updates related to Medicare.
Revises the definition of the term, medical support.
Chapter 3 - Eligibility Groups and Bases of Eligibility
l Section 03.20.25.05 - Disabled Adults Without Children
Removes instruction to refer disabled adults without children to apply for MA by either contacting their county of residence or requesting the transfer of their application to the county of residence. In its place, adds instruction for MinnesotaCare Operations to transfer the application to the county of residence if a disabled adult without children receives SSI or RSDI based on disability or blindness. Current procedures require MinnesotaCare Operations to automatically transfer the application to the county of residence. The client no longer needs to specifically ask that his or her application be transferred.
Chapter 4 - Social Security Administration (SSA) Benefits
l Section 04.40.20.05 - Medicare Part D Benchmark Plans
Adds information about which health plans providing Medicare Part D qualify as benchmark plans in 2013. Also, adds which benchmark plans from 2012 no longer qualify as benchmark plans in 2013.
l Section 07.10 - Where to Apply
Removes information about Type 1, 2 or 3 county MinnesotaCare enrollment sites. DHS no longer uses these distinctions because all county MinnesotaCare enrollment sites now process and maintain MinnesotaCare cases.
l Section 07.20.40 - Shared or Transferred Applications
Removes language relating to Type 1, 2 and 3 county MinnesotaCare enrollment sites. DHS no longer uses these distinctions because all county MinnesotaCare enrollment sites now process and maintain MinnesotaCare cases.
Additionally, removes language indicating that disabled adults without children who are required to apply for MA must specifically ask MinnesotaCare Operations to transfer their applications to the county of residence for an MA eligibility determination. MinnesotaCare Operations automatically transfers the applications of disabled adults without children who are required to apply for MA to the county of residence for an MA eligibility determination.
l Section 19.20 - Verification of Assets
Adds instruction to verify assets as of the first day of the first month for which a client requests coverage if he or she applies for MA and requests retroactive coverage. Also, clarifies that in this circumstance verification does not need to be dated as of the first day of the first month for which coverage is requested. Verification is sufficient if the period it covers includes the first day of the first month for which coverage is requested. An example was added to clarify this policy.
Chapter 22 - Standards and Guidelines
l Section 22.55 - Medicare Cost Sharing Amounts
Adds Medicare cost sharing amounts applicable in 2013.
l M-R
Updates the definition of medical support to remove the term, ”non-custodial.” This change is necessary because either the custodial or non-custodial parent may be court ordered to provide medical support.