Category: 2019

FROM:  REGINALD E. MCELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  MO HEALTHNET FOR THE AGED, BLIND AND DISABLED (MHABD) APPLICATION FOR OTHER BENEFITS LETTER

FORM:#32

APPLICATION FOR OTHER BENEFITS LETTER

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce the Application for Other Benefits Letter to be used at annual review for participants of MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (MHABD) and Supplemental Nursing Care (SNC) programs who had applied or agreed to apply for other benefits they may have been entitled to receive, but verification of application for other benefits was unavailable at the time of application for MHABD or SNC. 

IM Manual Section 1000.005.00 APPLICATION FOR OTHER BENEFITS has been revised to allow participant self-attestation as acceptable verification of application for other benefits at application for MHABD or SNC; however, the participant must show proof of his/her application for other types of potential benefits at annual review.   

Effective immediately, staff must begin using the Application for Other Benefits Letter to request verification of the participant’s application for other benefits if there is no existing evidence available to verify at annual review.  Refer to IM Manual Section 0840.005.00.05 Application for Other Benefits at Annual Review.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

RM/vm/mc

FROM:  REGINALD E. McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  REVISED MAGI TRANSITIONAL MO HEALTHNET SUSPENSION NOTICE, IM-55 A, B, AND C INSTRUCTIONS AND IM-58 INSTRUCTIONS

FORM REVISION #31

IM-58

IM-58 Instructions

IM-55 A, B, and C Instructions

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to advise the Transitional MO HealthNet Suspension Notice (IM-58) was updated to correct a grammatical error and the IM-55 A, B, and C Instructions and the IM-58 Instructions were updated to include the TMH policy section: 1820.050.00 QUARTERLY REPORT REQUIREMENTS (TMH).

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

RM/kg

FROM:  REGINALD E. McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  JOINT COMMISSION ON THE ACCREDITATION OF HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS (JCAHO) APPENDIX C UPDATE

MANUAL REVISION: #92

Appendix C

DISCUSSION: 

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform staff of changes made to the JCAHO facilities Appendix C in the Medical Assistance for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (MHABD) Income Maintenance Manual.

Appendix C has been updated to include the JCAHO web address with instructions on how to locate an accredited facility, and find information to determine whether the facility provides inpatient psychiatric services for individuals under the age of 21.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Use Appendix C when processing JCAHO cases.

RM/vm

FROM:  REGINALD E. McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  INTRODUCTION OF GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO SELL EXCESS REAL PROPERTY FOR MO HEALTHNET FOR THE AGED, BLIND AND DISABLED (MHABD) PROGRAM

MANUAL REVISION #91

1030.010.30

FORM REVISION #28

IM-70

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce the policy addition to the December 1973 Eligibility Requirements manual, 1030.010.30 Good Faith Effort to Sell Excess Real Property.

Also with this policy addition, a form was created, IM-70 Good Faith Effort to Sell Declaration. This form is to be used only in conjunction with the property exemption introduced in 1030.010.30 Good Faith Effort to Sell Excess Real Property.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

RM/cj

FROM:  REGINALD McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  SIGNATURE REQUEST LETTER UPDATE CLARIFICATION

DISCUSSION:

This memo clarifies the Signature Request Letter, updated with IM-54 March 25, 2019, can be used with unsigned applications for the MAGI and MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (MHABD) programs or unsigned MAGI reviews. 

Policy surrounding MHABD annual reviews has not changed and can be found in 0840.005.00 Annual Reinvestigation.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

RM/ers

FROM:  REGINALD E. McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES (DHSS) REFERRAL LETTERS FOR USE IN THE HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES (HCB) UNIT                           

FORM REVISION #27

DHSS Referral Letter

DHSS Referral Letter- Spend Down

DISCUSSION:

The Home and Community Based Services (HCB) waiver program is coordinated by the Family Support Division (FSD) and the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).  FSD determines MO HealthNet eligibility.  DHSS determines if the participant meets the level of care requirements. 

In addition to the HCB Waiver program, participants can access Home and Community Based Services through DHSS while on the MO HealthNet Non-Spend Down and Spend Down programs.  The HCB waiver program is informally called HCB.  Home and Community Based Services under MO HealthNet Non-Spend Down or Spend Down coverage is informally called HCBS.

Two letters have been designed for use in the HCB Unit located in Popular Bluff (Butler County).

The DHSS Referral Letter has been created to alert participants to expect a phone call from DHSS in order to complete an assessment for the participant’s recent HCB request.

The DHSS Referral Letter- Spend Down has been created to alert individuals who are over the income limit for the HCB waiver program that they will need to meet their spend down in order for an HCBS assessment to be completed.  Policy has not changed.  Action Notices will continue to be used to notify participants of their eligibility for HCB and other MO HealthNet programs.   

Reminder:  All HCB Referrals received by FSD must be processed by the HCB Unit in Popular Bluff (Butler County).  Please contact the HCB Unit via email at fsd.hcbinformation@dss.mo.gov

Individuals can also request an HCB referral by contacting DHSS directly at: 1-866-835-3505.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• The attached notices are available for use by the HCB Unit.

RM/rr

FROM:  REGINALD E. McELHANNON, ACTING DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  ADDING AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL AUTHORIZATION FORMS TO THE IM FORMS MANUAL

FORMS #26

CHIP AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL AUTHORIZATION

SPEND DOWN AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL        

AUTHORIZATION

TICKET TO WORK AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL  

AUTHORIZATION

DISCUSSION:

Automatic withdrawal forms were added to the IM Forms Manual. These forms are to be used for participants to start, change, or cancel automatic withdrawal authorizations for programs that require participant payments.

There has been no change in policy or to the forms for the automatic withdrawal authorizations.

For the Ticket to Work Health Assurance Program(TWHA):  Automatic Withdrawal Authorization (Start, Change, or Cancel) for Ticket to Work Health Assurance

For the MO HealthNet for Aged, Blind and Disabled Spend Down Program:  Automatic Withdrawal Authorization (Start, Change, or Cancel) for Spend Down Pay-In

For the MO HealthNet Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Premiums:  Automatic Withdrawal Authorization (Start, Change, or Cancel) for MO HealthNet for Kids Insurance Premium Payments

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

RM/cj

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION
P.O. BOX 2320
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI

TO:  ALL FAMILY SUPPORT OFFICES

FROM:  REGINALD E. McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  IDENTIFYING DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES (DHSS) NON-MEDICAL ELIGIBLE (NME) CONSUMER DIRECTED SERVICES (CDS) PARTICIPANTS

MANUAL REVISION #89                          

0810.010.15.15.15         

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform staff of revisions made regarding the exchange of information the Family Support Division (FSD) receives from DHSS, Division of Senior and Disability Services (DSDS) on participants receiving NME CDS.

DSDS will begin immediately forwarding the NME CDS listing directly to the MO HealthNet Spend Down Unit at SpendDown.Unit@dss.mo.gov. The revised process is outlined in IM Manual Section 0810.010.15.15.15 Identifying DHSS NME CDS Participants

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

RM/vm

FROM:  REGINALD E. McELHANNON, INTERIM DIRECTOR

SUBJECT:  PRIOR QUARTER COVERAGE FOR MO HEALTHNET FOR THE AGED, BLIND AND DISABLED (MHABD)

MANUAL REVISION #88

0810.015.00

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform staff that prior quarter coverage for MHABD may be requested up to and including 12 months from the application date. MHABD manual section 0810.015.00 Prior Quarter Coverage has been updated to reflect this change. This change is a manual process and must be completed by using worker initiated budgets (WIBCA’s).

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

RM/st