*** The Health Care Programs Manual (HCPM) has been replaced by the Minnesota Health Care Programs Eligibility Policy Manual (EPM) as of June 1, 2016. Please refer to the EPM for current health care program policy information. ***
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Effective: March 1, 2014 |
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03.30.10 - Medical Assistance (MA) for People With Blindness |
Archived: June 1, 2016 (Previous Versions) |
People who are certified as blind by the Social Security Administration (SSA) or State Medical Review Team (SMRT) have a basis of eligibility for MA. There is no age limit for this basis.
Eligibility factors and links to standard program guidelines are provided below.
Citizenship/Immigration Status.
Insurance and Benefit Recovery.
Relationship to Other Groups/Bases.
Application Process (standard guidelines)
Follow standard MA guidelines.
Follow standard MA guidelines.
Renewals (standard guidelines)
Follow standard MA guidelines.
Blindness must be verified through an SSA or SMRT certification. See Certification of Disability.
Social Security Number (standard guidelines)
Follow standard MA guidelines.
Follow standard MA guidelines.
See the Medical Assistance Immigration Status and Eligibility Table for a summary of MA system coding for noncitizen people with blindness.
Residency (standard guidelines)
Follow standard MA guidelines.
Follow standard MA guidelines.
Household Composition (standard guidelines)
Use a household size of one and do not count parents' income as available to a child of any age who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) .
For an 18 through 20-year-old child using a blindness basis of eligibility use a household size of:
l One for a child who lives in the parental home. Do not deem parental income.
l Two for a child who is married and lives with their spouse. Deem spousal income.
l Two or more if the blind child has children living in the home.
Use Method B for income and assets.
Asset Guidelines (standard guidelines)
The asset limit is:
l $3,000 for a household of one.
l $6,000 for a household of two.
l $200 for each additional household member.
Note: There is no asset limit for children under 21, regardless of their basis of eligibility.
The income limit is 100% FPG.
Deductions/Disregards (standard guidelines)
Use applicable Method B deductions in the order given:
1. Disabled widow and widower’s disregard.
2. Widow and widower's disregard.
3. Pickle disregard.
4. Disabled adult children disregard.
5. Income used to fulfill an approved Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS) for disabled or blind people.
6. Earned income disregard for blind or disabled student children.
7. The first $65 of earned income disregard.
8. One-half the remaining earned income.
9. Work expense deduction for blind clients.
See Elderly, Disabled and Blind Income Computation Worksheet (Method B) (DHS-0029C).
Spenddowns (standard guidelines)
People with incomes over 100% FPG may be eligible by spending down to 75% FPG.
Follow standard MA guidelines.
Service Delivery (Prepaid MHCP Manual)
People who are not enrolled in a managed care plan receive services through fee-for-service (FFS).
People under age 65 who are eligible for MA due to blindness as determined by the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the State Medical Review Team (SMRT) are excluded from mandatory managed care enrollment. However, people may voluntarily enroll in Special Needs BasicCare (SNBC) if they are:
l ages 18-64 and are eligible for MA with or without Medicare Parts A and B, and
l certified disabled by SSA or SMRT.
Note: Personal care attendant (PCA) and private duty nursing (PDN) services continue to be paid through fee-for-service (FFS).
Some adults without children who are certified blind and who apply for MinnesotaCare may be required to apply for MA. See Disabled Adults Without Children.
Follow standard MA guidelines. See Change in Basis of Eligibility and Changes in Circumstances.
People with blindness must use a Method B basis of eligibility for the Medicare Savings Programs, regardless of which MA method they choose.
People whose eligibility is based on blindness may also be eligible for:
l The Medicare Savings Programs if they are Medicare-eligible.
l A waiver of deeming requirements and/or expanded MA services.
Children who are certified blind may also be eligible as children under 21. See Multiple Bases of Eligibility.