This manual letter lists new and revised material for the Health Care Programs Manual (HCPM). Unless otherwise noted, new and revised instructions are effective February 1, 2010.
Updates made to this chapter are based on a regularly scheduled review. In addition, updates incorporate bulletin #08-21-06, "Certain Payment to I-35W Bridge Collapse Survivors Excluded as Income or Assets for Income Maintenance and Health Care Programs."
Updates are made to this chapter are based on a regularly scheduled review.
Chapter 13 - State and County Residence.
Chapter 14 - Living Arrangements.
Chapter 21 - Income Calculation (Community).
l Section 19.10 - Excluded Assets.
n Incorporates bulletin #08-21-06, "Certain Payment to I-35W Bridge Collapse Survivors Excluded as Income or Assets for Income Maintenance and Health Care Programs."
n Alphabetized and rearranged the list of exclusions.
n Adds exclusion for certain payments made to World War II Filipino veterans.
n Changed crime victim restitution payment to also exclude for MinnesotaCare, MA Method A and GHO. This exclusion is not limited to nine months for any program.
n Clarifies that past due SSI payments deposited into a dedicated account are excluded indefinitely.
n Provided additional detail on ”identifiable” assets.
n Added exclusion for Federal Housing Assistance payments for MA Method B.
n Added exclusion for Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act payments.
n Added exclusion for MA Method B and GAMC for state and local relocation assistance payments.
n Added exclusion for Gifts to Children with Life Threatening Conditions.
n Added MA Method B and GAMC exclusion for state annuities for certain veterans.
n Clarified Method B and GAMC exclusion for reimbursements for lost, damaged or destroyed assets.
n Added CTC refund exclusion for Method A for the month of receipt and the following months.
n Clarified the exclusion for Domestic Services Volunteer Act payments and VISTA payments and reworded as the CNCS exclusion. The CNCS exclusion also applies to MinnesotaCare, Method A and GHO.
n Moved Tribal payments and Student Financial Aid to their own sections.
n Removed references to excluded assets that are more fully addressed in other sections: Retirement Plans, Homesteads, Business Assets, Proceeds from Sale of Homestead.
n Removed exclusion for youth incentive entitlement projects and youth community conservation and improvement projects. The authority for these projects was repealed.
l Section 19.10.05 - Self-Employment Excluded Assets.
Clarifies that assets in current use for self-employment are excluded for Method B, GAMC-Full Benefits, Transitional MinnesotaCare, MA-EPD and Medicare Savings Programs.
l Section 19.10.10 - Self-Support Excluded Assets.
n Emphasizes that some non-liquid assets that may be considered self-support assets may also be considered household goods or personal effects.
n Clarifies which Minnesota Health Care Programs follow which self-employment policies.
n Adds an example demonstrating that non-liquid assets excluded for self-support may also be excluded as household goods or personal effects.
l Section 19.15.05 - Jointly Owned Assets.
n Clarifies that jointly owned real property is discussed in another section.
n Adds Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) policy for Method B.
n Modifies examples using personal property rather than real property.
l Section 19.25.35 - Trusts.
n Clarifies various definitions for ”beneficiary.”
n Explains the difference between income to the trust and income to the client for trusts.
n Clarifies trust verification requirements.
l Section 19.25.35.05 - Identifying Types of Trusts.
n Explains that identifying the type of a trust depends on when the trust was established, who established the trust, and whose income or resources were used to fund the trust.
n Adds general descriptions on trust characteristics.
l Section 19.25.35.10 - Client-Funded Trusts.
n Explains what criteria a trust must meet to be considered a client-funded trust.
n Explains how to evaluate this type of trust.
n Clarifies verification requirements for this type of trust.
l Section 19.25.35.15 - Medicaid Qualifying Trusts (MQTs).
n Explains what criteria a trust must meet to be considered a Medicaid Qualifying Trust (MQT).
n Explains how to evaluate this type of trust.
n Clarifies verification requirements for this type of trust.
l Section 19.25.35.20 - Special Needs Trusts.
n Explains what criteria a trust must meet to be considered a Special Needs Trust.
n Explains how to evaluate this type of trust.
n Clarifies verification requirements for this type of trust.
l Section 19.25.35.25 - Pooled Trusts.
n Explains what criteria a trust must meet to be considered a Pooled Trust.
n Explains how to evaluate this type of trust.
n Clarifies verification requirements for this type of trust.
l Section 19.25.35.30 - Third Party Established and Funded Trusts.
n Explains what criteria a trust must meet to be considered a trust that is established and funded by a third party.
n Explains how to evaluate this type of trust.
n Clarifies verification requirements for this type of trust.
l Section 19.25.35.35 - Supplemental Needs Trusts.
n Explains what criteria a trust must meet to be considered a Supplemental Needs Trust.
n Explains how to evaluate this type of trust.
n Clarifies verification requirements for this type of trust.
l Section 19.25.50 - Student Financial Aid (New).
n Clarifies when student financial aid is counted as an asset.
n Describes many types of student financial aid available.
n Provides additional detail to explain to exclude Higher Education Act (HEA) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) financial aid indefinitely.
n Adds information to explain how to count the Qualified Tuition Programs (QTP) funds.
l Section 19.25.55 - Tribal Payments and Interests (New).
n Clarifies when to count tribal payments and interests as an asset.
n Describes common types of tribal payments.
l Section 20.10 - Verification of Income.
n Clarifies verification requirements for wage income for MinnesotaCare.
n Adds instructions for the Employer Statement (DHS-4279) for MinnesotaCare.
n Adds examples clarifying how to evaluate Unemployment Insurance (UI) received less frequently than monthly.
l Section 20.25.05 - Excluded Income.
Aligns language with the excluded assets section of the HCPM.
l Section 20.25.20 - Self-Employment Income.
n Adds information on Limited Liability Companies (LLC).
n Clarifies when to confirm a client is self-employed.
n Adds example clarifying the difference between independent contractors and employees.
l Section 20.25.20.10 - MA/GAMC Self-Employment Income.
n Provides additional detail on requirements for calculating and verifying self-employment income for MA and GAMC.
n Clarifies which Minnesota Health Care Programs follow MA/GAMC self-employment income policy.
l Section 20.25.20.15 - Use of Home.
n Aligns language with IRS policy.
n Adds information on deduction amounts and limits.
n Clarifies how clients qualify to use this deduction.
l Section 20.25.20.20 - Travel, Transportation and Entertainment Expenses.
n Adds travel and entertainment to the title to be clear on expense information included on this page .
n Aligns language with IRS policy.
n Adds information on entertainment expenses.
n Clarifies how clients qualify to use this deduction.
l Section 20.25.20.25 - Rental Income.
n Aligns language with Social Security Administration policy.
n Clarifies which other Minnesota Health Care Programs follow MA Method B rental income policy.
l Section 20.25.20.30 - Roomer Boarder Income.
Clarifies which other Minnesota Health Care Programs follow MA Method B roomer/boarder income policy.
l Section 20.25.20.35 - In-Home Daycare.
n Clarifies which other Minnesota Health Care Programs follow MA Method B in-home daycare income policy.
n Adds IRS information on standard meal and snack rates.
l Section 20.25.20.40 - Farm Income.
Clarifies which other Minnesota Health Care Programs follow MA Method B farm income policy.
l Section 20.25.55 - Student Financial Aid.
Clarifies information on Veterans Administration educational benefits.
l Section 20.25.90 - Filipino Veterans Payments (New).
n Describes this new type of income created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
n Explains how to evaluate this income.
l Section 07.05.15 - Application not Required.
Clarifies the need for a new application when a client who has transitioned from Transitional MinnesotaCare to MinnesotaCare wants to apply for GAMC.
Chapter 13 - State and County Residence
l Section 13.25.10 - County Transfers.
n Clarifies that a case is not transferred until after the client has moved.
n Clarifies that a client’s new address is required before transferring a case.
Chapter 14 - Living Arrangements
l Section 14.15 - Correctional Facilities.
Deletes reference to bulletin #07-21-11, "DHS Announces New Medical Assistance (MA) Policy for Processing Requests to Reopen MA for Incarcerated Individuals," which has been incorporated into the HCPM.
l Section 16.05 - When to Refer for Medical Support.
Clarifies that medical support referrals should not be made for children in IV-E foster care placements or who receive adoption assistance.
Chapter 21 - Income Calculation (Community)
l Section 21.10 - MinnesotaCare Gross Income Determination.
n Moves detailed policy and examples to section 20.10.
n Clarifies to compare gross income to the income standard to determine eligibility.
n Adds information from section 21.20.
l Section 21.10.05 - MinnesotaCare Income Calculation.
n Renamed section (used to be MinnesotaCare Income Worksheet).
n Adds instructions for use of the Employer Statement (DHS-4279).
l Section 21.20 - MA/GAMC Gross Income Determination.
n Removes information about manual monthly spenddowns to incorporate changes from bulletin #09-21-12, "DHS Announces Streamlined Procedures for Medical Assistance (MA) Monthly Medical Spenddowns and Information on Reporting Medical Expenses."
n Provides more detailed information on determining varying and unvarying income.
l Section 21.15 - MinnesotaCare Excess Income.
Section renumbered from 21.20.05.
l Section 21.20 - MinnesotaCare Income Calculation (Archived).
Information added to section 21.10.
Several terms have been added or updated.