Minor Caretakers

If the applicant is a minor with dependent children, the minor caretaker A non-emancipated child who is the parent of a child living in his/her household. For MHCP purposes a minor caretaker is under age 21. For medical support and social services referrals a minor caretaker is under age 18. must cooperate with medical support for the dependent child. However, if the minor caretaker has a non-custodial parent, the minor caretaker is not required to cooperate with medical support for that referral as a condition of eligibility.

Referral for Minor Caretaker's Non-Custodial Parent.

Referral for Minor Caretaker's Children.

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Referral for Minor Caretaker's Non-Custodial Parent

When a minor caretaker has a non-custodial parent who meets the criteria for a medical support referral:

l  If the minor caretaker lives with a caretaker who is also a health care program enrollee, refer the non-custodial parent to the IV-D agency A state, county, or private agency that is responsible for establishing paternity and collecting child support and medical support according to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. In Minnesota, the IV-D agency is a unit within a county agency..

n  This will be a separate medical support referral from any you may make for the minor caretaker's children.

n  If the caretaker does not cooperate, there is no effect on the minor caretaker's eligibility.

l  If the minor caretaker lives with a caretaker who is not a health care program enrollee, follow the guidelines for child-only cases. See When to Refer for Medical Support for more information.

l  If the minor caretaker does not live with a caretaker, do not make a medical support referral for the minor caretaker’s non-custodial parent. See Minor Child Lives Apart From Both Parents.

Minor caretakers cannot be sanctioned for non-cooperation for failing to provide information about their own parents.

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Referral for Minor Caretaker's Children

Refer the non-custodial parents of the minor caretaker's children if the criteria for a medical support referral are met. In this case, the minor caretaker must cooperate with medical support requirements as a condition of health care program eligibility.

Example:
Lori applies for MinnesotaCare for herself, her 12-year-old son Michael, her 15-year-old daughter Amber, and Amber's three-month-old son Peter.

l  Lori is divorced from Michael and Amber's father. There is a court order for medical support, but the non-custodial parent is not complying.

l  Lori has access to insurance for herself only through her employer and is ineligible for MinnesotaCare. Michael, Amber, and Peter are eligible.

l  Paternity has not been established for Peter.

Action:
Make a IV-D referral for Michael and Amber. Make a separate referral for Peter, since paternity has not been established and Amber is receiving MinnesotaCare. Amber must provide information about Peter's father and cooperate with establishing an order for medical support for him as a condition of her own eligibility.

Example:
Corinne, age 16, and her one-year-old daughter Megan live with Corinne's aunt.

l  Corinne's parents are married and live together. She is covered by their health insurance and does not want MA for herself.

l  She applies for MA for Megan only. Paternity has not been established for Megan.

Action:
No IV-D or parental fee referrals are required.

Note:  If Corinne received MA for herself, a IV-D referral would be required for Megan. No referral would be required for Corinne because there is not a non-custodial parent. Refer her parents for parental fees according to your agency's procedures.

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