The County Assistance Office (CAO) will authorize all individuals determined to be eligible for Medical Assistance (MA). Each individual is issued an MA identification card titled Pennsylvania ACCESS card.
The Pennsylvania ACCESS card is:
Issued to individuals who receive a TANF, GA, or SSI cash payment and to persons eligible for Nonmoney Payment (NMP) MA including BCCPT and MAWD.
NOTE: Eligibility includes, but is not limited to:
Individuals eligible for the Healthy Beginnings and Healthy Horizons Categorically Needy Programs.
Individuals eligible for cash but not receiving a payment due to the $10 minimum payment provision.
Individuals eligible for cash but not receiving a payment for a month of zero cash payment.
Individuals who meet the requirements for a TANF or GA cash payment but choose to receive only medical assistance.
Issued to individuals eligible for Medically Needy Only (MNO) MA.
Issued to individuals eligible for the SelectPlan for Women Program. The benefit package for SelectPlan includes family planning services and pharmaceutical supplies related to birth control, pregnancy prevention and preventive services.
Issued to individuals eligible for a Blind Pension payment. (See Chapter 700, State Blind Pension).
Issued to individuals eligible for the Healthy Horizons Cost-Sharing Program. See Chapter 319, Healthy Horizons, or
Issued to individuals who are enrolled in a Managed Care Organization (MCO). The ACCESS card covers non-emergency transportation for medical services. Individuals will also receive a card from their respective MCO.
See Chapter 338, Medical Assistance Benefits, for information about HealthCare Benefits and services covered by each Medical Benefit Package.
NOTE: The ACCESS card does not designate or verify medical eligibility. The ACCESS card is only a method to use for providers to access the Eligibility Verification System (EVS) which provides the status of MA eligibility on individuals.
The issuance of the card is authorized when the CAO enters eligibility information into the Client Information System (CIS) or Electronic CIS (eCIS). The CAO will ensure that the authorization and data entry process is completed timely to meet the medical needs of the individual.
For eligible applicants or recipients who have an immediate need for medical care or services, the CAO will issue a Temporary ACCESS Card from the CAO. (See Section 380.4Temporary ACCESS Cards).
Complete instructions for inquiry into CIS and for the data entry of information required to issue or change a card are found in the "Using CIS" Manual.
Updated February 14, 2012, Replacing March 3, 2011