MinnesotaCare
3.2.4 Social Security Number
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:
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Contacting the SSA to confirm the applicant’s SSN if one has already been issued, or
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Resolving discrepancies in the case file that are preventing successful electronic verification.
Eligibility cannot be delayed for an otherwise eligible applicant pending the electronic 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 provide proof of their correct SSN or to resolve any clerical discrepancies preventing electronic verification.
The 95 day period can be extended if the MinnesotaCare enrollee is demonstrating a good faith effort to resolve the discrepancy preventing electronic verification. Enrollees who need more time to resolve the SSN discrepancy must receive a notice that tells them the new due date. There is no limit to the number of times the reasonable opportunity period can be extended for the MinnesotaCare enrollee to resolve the SSN discrepancy. MinnesotaCare eligibility and coverage must end with 10-day advance notice if the enrollee fails to resolve the SSN discrepancy by the end of the reasonable opportunity period or any extension.
During the reasonable opportunity period, the county, tribal or state servicing agency must continue efforts to verify an applicant’s SSN. This includes correcting errant demographic data, re-running electronic sources and checking case records and files for prior instances of successful electronic verification. The agency must assist the applicant in resolving discrepancies in the case file that are preventing successful verification. The agency must document efforts to verify an applicant’s SSN during the reasonable opportunity period in the case record.
A person who reapplies for health care coverage, whose SSN was not previously verified, must be given a new reasonable opportunity period to resolve the SSN discrepancy.
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.
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