SUBJECT:
INCOME MAINTENANCE APPLICATION PROCESSING FOR HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS
DISCUSSION:
As a result of Hurricane Katrina, evacuees are coming to Missouri seeking shelter and/or medical attention. These individuals may seek to apply for benefits through available Income Maintenance Programs. They must be allowed to apply for benefits as requested. Individuals, who are current cash and/or Medicaid recipients in the affected areas, do not need to apply for cash or medical assistance in Missouri, unless they intend to make Missouri their permanent residence. Those individuals from the affected areas who are not currently receiving benefits and declare Missouri residence may be eligible for Missouri benefits. Determine eligibility based on the procedures in this memorandum.
AFFECTED AREAS:
Verify that the applicant was living in an area affected by Hurricane Katrina when the hurricane struck. To verify this, ask the applicant for his/her address in Alabama, Louisiana, or Mississippi. Enter this address in CD1P. The county/parish in which the applicant resided will appear in the USPS County field on CD1P. Refer to the Areas Affected by Hurricane Katrina list. If the applicant resided in one of the counties/parishes affected by Hurricane Katrina, follow the policy listed below.
CURRENT MEDICAID RECIPIENTS FROM AFFECTED AREAS
Victims who are current Medicaid recipients in Alabama, Louisiana or Mississippi should be able to access medical services in other states. In addition, out-of-state providers can enroll to become a provider for these states as a result of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. It is not necessary to take a Medicaid application for Missouri coverage if an evacuee is already a current Medicaid recipient in their state of residence.
Provide the websites listed below to any current Medicaid eligible recipients requesting assistance or to providers making inquiries for individuals who are Medicaid recipients in their state of residence.
Alabama
http://216.226.177.68/news/Alabama_Info_Hurricane.aspx?tab=2
Mississippi
http://www.dom.state.ms.us/Home/body_index.html
Louisiana
http://www.dhh.state.la.us/offices/?ID=92
Missouri providers who provide services to individuals with Medicaid coverage from the states of Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana should request reimbursement from the respective state Medicaid agency. However, completion of an out of state provider application is required. The websites listed above provide enrollment information. If providers encounter issues related to reimbursement for services provided to individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina, they should email Missouri Medicaid at AskDMS@mail.medicaid.state.mo.us for assistance.
APPLICATIONS FOR MISSOURI BENEFITS
Accept applications for evacuees and request verification necessary to determine eligibility. Applicants should supply verification they have readily available. If the applicant declares they have no immediate plans to return to the affected area or to leave Missouri for another state, consider them Missouri residents with the intent to remain. Caseworkers are to have a discussion with the evacuees in order to make a determination as to their plans to remain in Missouri.
If the caseworker is unable to obtain all of the necessary verification on eligibility factors, the client's statement may be accepted when not questionable. If the applicant's statement is questionable or if further clarification is needed on case specific situations, contact program & policy through appropriate supervisory channels. Some examples of eligibility factors where the client's statement may be accepted are:
- bank account balance under resource limits,
- Social Security Number or application for Social Security Number,
- current month's gross income, and
- loss of employment.
Client's statement "CS" is not an acceptable method of verification for most eligibility factors for the Temporary Assistance Program. Therefore, entering "CS" in FAMIS will result in the application pending. For eligibility factors that do not allow "CS" as an acceptable form of verification, enter "CC" (Collateral Contact), when necessary. Enter comments that client statement was accepted based on this memo.
A priority is to be set to re-evaluate evacuee cases in 90 days.
TRACKING OF APPLICATIONS
Medicaid applications taken are to be identified by entering a case identifier code of "K" in field 27 of IMU5 upon approval.
Temporary Assistance applications for evacuees are to be excluded from participating in work activities on the Component Activity (COMPACT) screen in FAMIS. To do this, enter the work requirement code "M" and exclusion reason "6" for natural disaster. Enter a date no later than 90 days in the future in the re-evaluation date field. This coding identifies evacuee cases and excludes them from being referred to DWD.
Applications accepted for Hurricane Katrina evacuees are to be tracked. On the date of application, complete the tracking form attached to email IM#122 09/07/05 and follow those procedures for submitting on a daily basis to central office for follow up and statistical reporting. A listing of cases approved without all verification should be kept for future follow up.
Further information will be provided as it becomes available.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Discuss this memorandum with appropriate staff.
- Take applications and process as a Missouri resident if the individual has no immediate plans to return to the affected area or leave Missouri for another state.
- Enter evacuee case identifiers as appropriate.
- No application is required if the individual is a current cash or Medicaid recipient in their state of residence, unless the individual plans to make Missouri his/her permanent residence.
- Provide websites to evacuees and Medicaid providers as appropriate.
- Submit application tracking form daily, following procedures in email IM#122 09/07/05.