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

2.3.1.2 Asset Verification Service (AVS)

The Asset Verification Service (AVS) must be used to electronically verify financial accounts that might be counted for applicants and enrollees whose MA basis of eligibility is MA-ABD and who have an asset test. The AVS must also be used to electronically verify the financial accounts of a spouse, sponsor, or sponsor’s spouse whose assets deem to or are considered in the applicant or enrollee’s eligibility determination.

The servicing agency must use the AVS at application, renewal, and when MHCP enrollee’s basis of eligibility changes to MA-ABD with an asset limit. This includes but is not limited to people who:

Request Medical Assistance for payment of long term care services (MA-LTC) with an MA-ABD basis, including people who live in a long-term care facility and people who need home and community-based services (HCBS).
Transition between Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) to MA-ABD with an asset limit.
Request coverage under a Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) and who are not current MA-ABD enrollees with an asset limit.

AVS Requirements

The county, tribal or state servicing agencies must:

Obtain all required information on the Authorization to Obtain Financial Information form (DHS-7823) prior to reqeusting information from the AVS. See 2.3.1.3 Authorization to Obtain Information.
Check the AVS results a minimum of 10-days after the date the request was submitted and directly prior to approving eligibility.
Maintain the AVS Summary Report in the person’s file at the time of making each eligibility determination.

Social Security Number (SSN)

A person’s SSN is required to submit a request through the AVS. With the exceptions noted below, an SSN must be provided as part of the current MHCP request for coverage or on the AVS authorization form (DHS-7823). An SSN known to the agency from a closed case or another non-MHCP program cannot be used to submit a request to the AVS.

An AVS request cannot be made for an applicant or enrollee who does not have a SSN or who meets an exception for providing an SSN to the agency. If an applicant or enrollee does not have an SSN or meets an exception for providing an SSN to the agency, paper proofs of the applicant or enrollee’s financial accounts are required verification.

The agency may request but cannot require a non-applicant to provide a SSN. Eligibility cannot be denied or terminated due to a spouse, sponsor, or sponsor’s spouse not providing their SSN to the agency. If a spouse or sponsor whose assets are part of the eligibility determination does not provide their SSN, paper proofs of the spouse or sponsor’s financial accounts are required verification.

See EPM 2.1.2.5 MA Social Security Number for more information.

Exceptions to the 10-day Waiting Period

Servicing agencies must submit a request through the AVS before approving eligibility , but must not delay the eligibility determination solely due to the 10-day AVS waiting period in the following situations:

An enrollee’s eligibility changes from MinnesotaCare or MA for families with children and adults (MA-FCA) to MA-ABD and results in the enrollee having an asset limit.
When an enrollee is being determined eligible for MA-ABD in the month after MA-EPD closes for premium non-payment.
A person has an immediate medical need at application, such as but not limited to, the person:
- is in a doctor’s office, pharmacy, or hospital in need of services or coverage or has been refused medical services,
- is in immediate need of prescription medications, or
- has a high-risk pregnancy.

Legal Citations

United States Code, title 42, section 1396w