No. 39484 (Amendment): Rule R414-304. Income and Budgeting

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 39484
Filed: 06/30/2015 04:50:57 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The purpose of this change is to clarify when the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) may count Veterans Administration (VA) payments as income toward Medicaid eligibility.

Summary of the rule or change:

This amendment clarifies when DWS may count VA payments as income toward Medicaid eligibility.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 26-1-5
• Pub. L. No. 111-148
• Section 26-18-3

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There is no impact to the state budget because this amendment only clarifies Medicaid eligibility in regard to VA payments. It does not affect current appropriations for Medicaid services.

local governments:

There is no impact to local governments because this amendment only clarifies Medicaid eligibility in regard to VA payments.

small businesses:

There is no impact to small businesses because this amendment only clarifies Medicaid eligibility in regard to VA payments. It neither affects current appropriations for Medicaid services nor imposes new business requirements.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

There is no impact to Medicaid providers and to Medicaid recipients because this amendment only clarifies Medicaid eligibility in regard to VA payments. It does not affect current appropriations for Medicaid services, impose new provider requirements, or create out-of-pocket expenses.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There is no impact to a single Medicaid provider or to a Medicaid recipient because this amendment only clarifies Medicaid eligibility in regard to VA payments. It does not affect current appropriations for Medicaid services, impose new provider requirements, or create out-of-pocket expenses.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

There is no impact to business because it does not require anything additional from medical assistance providers.

David Patton, PhD, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Health
Health Care Financing, Coverage and Reimbursement Policy
CANNON HEALTH BLDG
288 N 1460 W
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116-3231

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Craig Devashrayee at the above address, by phone at 801-538-6641, by FAX at 801-538-6099, or by Internet E-mail at [e-mail]

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

08/14/2015

This rule may become effective on:

09/01/2015

Authorized by:

David Patton, Executive Director

RULE TEXT

R414. Health, Health Care Financing, Coverage and Reimbursement Policy.

R414-304. Income and Budgeting.

R414-304-3. Aged, Blind and Disabled Non-Institutional and Institutional Medicaid Unearned Income Provisions.

(1) The Department adopts and incorporates by reference 42 CFR 435.811 and 435.831, October 1, 2012 ed., and 20 CFR 416.1102, 416.1103, 416.1120 through 416.1124, 416.1140 through 416.1148, 416.1150, 416.1151, 416.1157, 416.1163 through 416.1166, and Appendix to Subpart K of 416, April 1, 2012 ed. The Department also adopts and incorporates by reference Subsections 404(h)(4) and 1612(b)(24) and (25) of the Compilation of the Social Security Laws in effect January 1, 2013, to determine income and income deductions for Medicaid eligibility. The Department may not count as income any payments from sources that federal laws specifically prohibit from being counted as income to determine eligibility for federally-funded medical assistance programs.

(2) The eligibility agency may not count Veteran[']s Administration (VA) payments for aid and attendance or the portion of a VA payment that an individual [makes]receives because of unusual medical expenses. Other VA income based on need is countable income, but is not subject to the $20 general income disregard.

(3) The eligibility agency may only count as income the portion of a VA check to which the [client]individual is legally entitled.[If the payment includes an amount for a dependent family member as determined by the VA, that amount counts as income for the dependent. If the dependent does not live with the veteran or surviving spouse, the portion for the dependent counts as the dependent's income unless the dependent applies to VA to receive the payment directly, VA denies that request, and the dependent does not receive the payment. In that case, the eligibility agency shall also count the amount for a dependent as income of the veteran or surviving spouse who receives the payment.]

(4) The eligibility agency may not count as income Social Security Administration (SSA) reimbursements of Medicare premiums.

(5) The eligibility agency may not count as income the value of special circumstance items if the items are paid for by donors.

(6) For aged, blind and disabled Medicaid, the eligibility agency shall count as income two-thirds of current child support that an individual receives in a month for the disabled child. It does not matter if the payments are voluntary or court-ordered. It does not matter if the child support is received in cash or in-kind. If there is more than one child for whom the payment is made, the amount is divided equally among the children unless a court order indicates a different division.

(7) The eligibility agency shall count as income of the child, child support payments received from a parent or guardian for past months or years.

(8) The agency shall use countable income of the parent to determine the amount of income that will be deemed from the parent to the child to determine the child's eligibility.

(9) For aged, blind and disabled Institutional Medicaid, court-ordered child support payments collected by the Office of Recovery Services (ORS) for a child who resides out-of-home in a Medicaid 24-hour care facility are not counted as income to the child. If ORS allows the parent to retain up to the amount of the personal needs allowance for the child's personal needs, that amount is counted as income for the child. All other current child support payments received by the child or guardian that are not subject to collection by ORS count as unearned income to the child.

(10) The eligibility agency shall count as unearned income the interest earned from a sales contract on either or both the lump sum and installment payments when the interest is received or made available to the client.

(11) If the client, or the client and spouse do not live with an in-kind support donor, in-kind support and maintenance is the lesser of the value or the presumed maximum value of food or shelter received. If the client, or the client and spouse live with an in-kind support donor and do not pay a prorated share of household operating expenses, in-kind support and maintenance is the difference between the prorated share of household operating expenses and the amount the client, or the client and spouse actually pay, or the presumed maximum value, whichever is less.

(12) Payments under a contract that provide for payments at set intervals or after completion of the contract period are not lump sum payments. The payments are subject to regular income counting rules. Retroactive payments from SSI and SSA reimbursements of Medicare premiums are not lump sum payments.

(13) The eligibility agency may not count as income educational loans, grants, and scholarships received from Title IV programs of the Higher Education Act or from Bureau of Indian Affairs educational programs, and may not count any other grants, scholarships, fellowships, or gifts that a client uses to pay for education. The eligibility agency shall count as income, in the month that the client receives them, any amount of grants, scholarships, fellowships, or gifts that the client uses to pay for non-educational expenses. Allowable educational expenses include:

(a) tuition;

(b) fees;

(c) books;

(d) equipment;

(e) special clothing needed for classes;

(f) travel to and from school at a rate of 21 cents a mile, unless the grant identifies a larger amount; and

(g) child care necessary for school attendance.

(14) The eligibility agency may not count as income, payments from a qualified long-term care insurance partnership plan as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1396p(b)(1)(C)(iii), paid directly to a long-term care provider or collected by the Office of Recovery Services as a third-party liability source.

(15) Except for an individual eligible for the Medicaid Work Incentive (MWI) program, the following provisions apply to non-institutional medical assistance:

(a) For aged, blind and disabled Medicaid, the eligibility agency may not count income of a spouse or a parent to determine Medicaid eligibility of a person who receives SSI or meets 1619(b) criteria. SSI recipients and 1619(b) status individuals who meet all other Medicaid eligibility factors are eligible for Medicaid without spending down.

(b) If an ineligible spouse of an aged, blind or disabled person has more income after deductions than the allocation for a spouse, the eligibility agency shall deem the spouse's income to the aged, blind or disabled spouse to determine eligibility.

(c) The eligibility agency shall determine household size and whose income counts for aged, blind and disabled Medicaid as described below.

(i) If only one spouse is aged, blind or disabled:

(A) The eligibility agency shall deem income of the ineligible spouse to the eligible spouse when that income exceeds the allocation for a spouse. The eligibility agency shall compare the combined income to 100% of the federal poverty guideline for a two-person household. If the combined income exceeds that amount, the eligibility agency shall compare the combined income, after allowable deductions, to the BMS for two to calculate the spenddown.

(B) If the ineligible spouse's income does not exceed the allocation for a spouse, the eligibility agency may not count the ineligible spouse's income and may not include the ineligible spouse in the household size. Only the eligible spouse's income is compared to 100% of the federal poverty guideline for one. If the income exceeds that amount, it is compared, after allowable deductions, to the BMS for one to calculate the spenddown.

(ii) If both spouses are either aged, blind or disabled, the eligibility agency shall combine the income of both spouses and compare to 100% of the federal poverty guideline for a two-person household. SSI income is not counted.

(A) If the combined income exceeds that amount and one spouse receives SSI, the eligibility agency may only compare the income of the non-SSI spouse, after allowable deductions, to the BMS for a one-person household to calculate the spenddown.

(B) If neither spouse receives SSI and their combined income exceeds 100% of the federal poverty guideline, the eligibility agency shall compare the income of both spouses, after allowable deductions, to the BMS for a two-person household to calculate the spenddown.

(C) If neither spouse receives SSI and only one spouse will be covered under the applicable program, the eligibility agency shall deem income of the non-covered spouse to the covered spouse when that income exceeds the spousal allocation. If the non-covered spouse's income does not exceed the spousal allocation, the eligibility agency may only count the covered spouse's income. In both cases, the countable income is compared to 100% of the two-person poverty guideline. If the countable income exceeds the limit, the eligibility agency shall compare the income, after allowable deductions, to the BMS.

(I) If the non-covered spouse has income to deem to the covered spouse, the eligibility agency shall compare the countable income, after allowable deductions, to a two-person BMS to calculate a spenddown.

(II) If the non-covered spouse does not have income to deem to the covered spouse, the eligibility agency may only compare the covered spouse's income, after allowable deductions, to a one-person BMS to calculate the spenddown.

(iii) In determining eligibility under (c) for an aged or disabled person whose spouse is blind, both spouses' income is combined.

(A) If the combined income after allowable deductions is under 100% of the federal poverty guideline, the aged or disabled spouse will be eligible under the 100% poverty group defined in 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii) of the Social Security Act, and the blind spouse is eligible without a spenddown under the medically needy group defined in 42 CFR 435.301.

(B) If the combined income after allowable deductions is over 100% of poverty, both spouses are eligible with a spenddown under the medically needy group defined in 42 CFR 435.301.

(iv) If one spouse is disabled and working, the other is aged, blind or disabled and not working, and neither spouse is an SSI recipient nor a 1619(b) eligible individual, the working disabled spouse may choose to receive coverage under the MWI program. If both spouses want coverage, however, the eligibility agency shall first determine eligibility for them as a couple. If a spenddown is owed for them as a couple, they must meet the spenddown to receive coverage for both of them.

(d) Except when determining countable income for the 100% poverty-related Aged and Disabled Medicaid programs, the eligibility agency shall not deem income from a spouse who meets 1619(b) protected group criteria.

(e) The eligibility agency shall determine household size and whose income counts for QMB, SLMB, and QI assistance as described below:

(i) If both spouses receive Part A Medicare and both want coverage, the eligibility agency shall combine income of both spouses and compare it to the applicable percentage of the poverty guideline for a two-person household.

(ii) If one spouse receives Part A Medicare and the other spouse is aged, blind or disabled and does not receive Part A Medicare or does not want coverage, then the eligibility agency shall deem income of the ineligible spouse to the eligible spouse when that income exceeds the allocation for a spouse. If the income of the ineligible spouse does not exceed the allocation for a spouse, then only the income of the eligible spouse is counted. In both cases, the eligibility agency shall compare the countable income to the applicable percentage of the federal poverty guideline for a two-person household.

(iii) If one spouse receives Part A Medicare and the other spouse is not aged, blind or disabled, the eligibility agency shall deem income of the ineligible spouse to the eligible spouse when that income exceeds the allocation for a spouse. The agency shall combine countable income to the applicable percentage of the federal poverty guideline for a two-person household. If the deemed income of the ineligible spouse does not exceed the allocation for a spouse, only the eligible spouse's income is counted and compared to the applicable percentage of the poverty guideline for a one-person household.

(iv) The eligibility agency may not count SSI income to determine eligibility for QMB, SLMB or QI assistance.

(f) If any parent in the home receives SSI or is eligible for 1619(b) protected group coverage, the eligibility agency may not count the income of either parent to determine a child's eligibility for B or D Medicaid.

(g) Payments for providing foster care to a child are countable income. The portion of the payment that represents a reimbursement for the expenses related to providing foster care is not countable income.

(16) For Institutional Medicaid, the eligibility agency may only count the client in the household size. Only the client's income and deemed income from an alien client's sponsor is counted to determine the cost of care contribution. The provisions in Rule R414-307 govern who to include in the household size and whose income is counted to determine eligibility for home and community-based waiver services and the cost-of-care contribution.

(17) The eligibility agency shall deem any unearned and earned income from an alien's sponsor and the sponsor's spouse when the sponsor signs an Affidavit of Support pursuant to Section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act after December 18, 1997.

(a) The eligibility agency shall end sponsor deeming when the alien becomes a naturalized United States (U.S.) citizen, or has worked 40 qualifying quarters as defined under Title II of the Social Security Act, or can be credited with 40 qualifying work quarters. After December 31, 1996, a creditable qualifying work quarter is one during which the alien did not receive any federal means-tested public benefit.

(b) The eligibility agency may not apply sponsor deeming to applicants who are eligible for Medicaid for emergency services only.

(18) If retirement income has been divided between divorced spouses by the divorce decree pursuant to a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, the eligibility agency may only count as income the amount that is paid to the individual.

(19) The eligibility agency may not count as income any payments that an individual receives pursuant to the Individual Indian Money Account Litigation Settlement under the Claims Resettlement Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111 291, 124 Stat. 3064.

(20) The eligibility agency may not count as income any federal tax refund and refundable credit that an individual receives in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 6409, Pub. L. 112 240.

(21) The eligibility agency may not count income that is derived from an ownership interest in certain property and rights of federally-recognized American Indians and Alaska Natives including:

(a) certain tribal lands held in trust which are located on or near a reservation, or allotted lands located on a previous reservation;

(b) ownership interests in rents, leases, royalties, or usage rights related to natural resources that include extraction of natural resources; and

(c) ownership interests and usage rights in personal property which has unique religious, spiritual, traditional, or cultural significance, and rights that support subsistence or traditional lifestyles, as defined in Section 5006(b)(1) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111 5, 123 Stat. 115.

 

R414-304-6. Unearned Income Provisions for Medically Needy Family, Child and Pregnant Woman Non-Institutional and Institutional Medicaid.

(1) The Department adopts and incorporates by reference 42 CFR 435.811 and 435.831,October 1, 2012 ed., 45 CFR 233.20(a)(1), 233.20(a)(3)(iv), 233.20(a)(3)(vi)(A), 233.20(a)(4)(ii), October 1, 2012 ed., and Subsection 404(h)(4) of the Compilation of the Social Security Laws, in effect January 1, 2013. The eligibility agency may not count as income any payments from sources that federal laws specifically prohibit from being counted as income to determine eligibility for federally-funded medical assistance programs.

(2) The eligibility agency may not count as income money loaned to the individual if the individual proves the money is from a loan that the individual is expected to repay.

(3) The eligibility agency may not count as income support and maintenance assistance provided in-kind by a non-profit organization certified by the Department of Human Services.

(4) The eligibility agency may not count as income the value of food stamp assistance, USDA food donations or WIC vouchers received by members of the household.

(5) The eligibility agency may not count income that is received too irregularly or infrequently to count as regular income, such as cash gifts, up to $30 a calendar quarter per household member. Any amount that exceeds $30 a calendar quarter per household member counts as income when received. Irregular or infrequent income may be divided equally among all members of the household.

(6) The eligibility agency may not count as income the amount deducted from benefit income to repay an overpayment.

(7) The eligibility agency may not count as income the value of special circumstance items paid for by donors.

(8) The eligibility agency may not count as income payments for home energy assistance.

(9) The eligibility agency may not count payments from any source that are to repair or replace lost, stolen or damaged exempt property. If the payments include an amount for temporary housing, the eligibility agency may only count the amount that the client does not intend to use or that is more than what is needed for temporary housing.

(10) The eligibility agency may not count as income SSA reimbursements of Medicare premiums.

(11) The eligibility agency may not count as income payments from the Department of Workforce Services under the Family Employment program, the Working Toward Employment Program, and the Refugee Cash Assistance program. To determine eligibility for medically needy Medicaid, the eligibility agency shall count income that the client receives to determine the amount of these payments, unless the income is an excluded income for medical assistance programs under other laws or regulations.

(12) The eligibility agency may not count as income interest or dividends earned on countable resources. The eligibility agency may not count as income interest or dividends earned on resources that are specifically excluded by federal laws from being counted as available resources to determine eligibility for federally-funded, means-tested medical assistance programs, other than resources excluded by 42 U.S.C. 1382b(a).

(13) The eligibility agency may not count as income the increase in pay for a member of the armed forces that is called "hostile fire pay" or "imminent danger pay," which is compensation for active military duty in a combat zone.

(14) The eligibility agency shall count as income SSI and State Supplemental payments received by children who are included in the coverage under medically needy Medicaid programs for families, pregnant women and children.

(15) The eligibility agency shall count unearned rental income. The eligibility agency shall deduct $30 a month from the rental income. If the amount charged for the rental is consistent with community standards, the eligibility agency shall deduct the greater of either $30 or the following actual expenses that the client can verify:

(a) taxes and attorney fees needed to make the income available;

(b) upkeep and repair costs necessary to maintain the current value of the property, including utility costs paid by the applicant or recipient;

(c) interest paid on a loan or mortgage made for upkeep or repair; and

(d) the value of a one-person food stamp allotment, if meals are provided to a boarder.

(16) The eligibility agency shall count deferred income when the client receives the income, the client does not defer the income by choice, and the client reasonably expects to receive the income. If the client defers the income by choice, the agency shall count the income according to when the client could receive the income. The eligibility agency shall count as income the amount deducted from income to pay for benefits like health insurance, medical expenses or child care in the month that the client could receive the income.

(17) The eligibility agency shall count the amount deducted from income to pay an obligation of child support, alimony or debts in the month that the client could receive the income.

(18) The eligibility agency shall count payments from trust funds as income in the month the payment is received by the individual or made available for the individual's use.

(19) The eligibility agency may only count as income the portion of a VA check to which the [client]individual is legally entitled.[If the payment includes an amount for a dependent family member as determined by the VA, that amount counts as income for the dependent. If the dependent does not live with the veteran or surviving spouse, the portion for the dependent counts as the dependent's income unless the dependent applies to VA to receive the payment directly, VA denies that request, and the dependent does not receive the payment. In that case, the eligibility agency shall also count the amount for a dependent as income of the veteran or surviving spouse who receives the payment.]

(20) The eligibility agency shall count as income deposits to financial accounts jointly-owned between the client and one or more other individuals, even if the deposits are made by a non-household member. If the client disputes ownership of the deposits and provides adequate proof that the deposits do not represent income to the client, the eligibility agency may not count those funds as income. The eligibility agency may require the client to terminate access to the jointly-held accounts.

(21) The eligibility agency shall count as unearned income the interest earned from a sales contract on lump sum payments and installment payments when the interest payment is received by or made available to the client.

(22) The eligibility agency shall count current child support payments as income to the child for whom the payments are being made. If a payment is for more than one child, the agency shall divide that amount equally among the children unless a court order indicates otherwise. Child support payments received by a parent or guardian to repay amounts owed for past months or years are countable income to determine eligibility of the parent or guardian who receives the payments. If ORS collects current child support, the eligibility agency shall count the child support as current even if ORS mails the payment to the client after the month it is collected.

(23) The eligibility agency shall count payments from annuities as unearned income in the month that the client receives the payments.

(24) If retirement income has been divided between divorced spouses by the divorce decree pursuant to a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, the eligibility agency may only count the amount paid to the individual.

(25) The eligibility agency shall deem both unearned and earned income from an alien's sponsor, and the sponsor's spouse, if any, when the sponsor has signed an Affidavit of Support pursuant to Section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act after December 18, 1997.

(a) The eligibility agency shall stop deeming income from a sponsor when the alien becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen, or has worked 40 qualifying quarters as defined under Title II of the Social Security Act or can be credited with 40 qualifying work quarters. After December 31, 1996, a creditable qualifying work quarter is one during which the alien did not receive any federal means-tested public benefit.

(b) The eligibility agency may not apply sponsor deeming to applicants who are eligible for emergency services only.

(26) The eligibility agency may not count as income any payments that an individual receives pursuant to the Individual Indian Money Account Litigation Settlement under the Claims Resettlement Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111 291, 124 Stat. 3064.

(27) The eligibility agency may not count as income any federal tax refund and refundable credit that an individual receives in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 6409 of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112 240, 126, Stat. 2313.

(28) The eligibility agency may not count income that is derived from an ownership interest in certain property and rights of federally-recognized American Indians and Alaska Natives including:

(a) certain tribal lands held in trust which are located on or near a reservation, or allotted lands located on a previous reservation;

(b) ownership interests in rents, leases, royalties, or usage rights related to natural resources that include extraction of natural resources; and

(c) ownership interests and usage rights in personal property which has unique religious, spiritual, traditional, or cultural significance, and rights that support subsistence or traditional lifestyles, as defined in Section 5006(b)(1) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111 5, 123 Stat. 115.

 

KEY: financial disclosures, income, budgeting

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [October 1, 2014]2015

Notice of Continuation: January 23, 2013

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 26-18-3

 

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