An SSI-related category is approved for an individual who meets the aged, blind, or disabled Social Security requirements.
A PH/PG recipient must be age 65 or older or meet Social Security Administration (SSA) disability requirements.
An individual who is eligible for Healthy Horizons Categorically Needy benefits is assigned category PH. An individual who is eligible for Healthy Horizons Cost-Sharing benefits is assigned category PG. The PG recipient must be age 65 or older or disabled according to SSA requirements and qualify for Medicare. (Section 305.25 to determine whether an applicant meets the disability requirements.)
55 Pa. Code § 140.221(2) 55 Pa. Code § 140.332
If an applicant under age 65 appears to meet the Social
Security disability requirements, the CAO
must approve PH while a determination is being made. ( Section
305.26.)
An individual who meets requirements for the PH category is eligible for:
NMP payment and Buy-In of his or her Medicare premiums (if he or she is eligible for Medicare).
Payment of Medicare deductibles and coinsurances.
An individual who meets requirements for the PG category is eligible only for Buy-In of his or her Medicare premiums and payment of Medicare deductibles and coinsurances.
If an individual qualifies for both Healthy Horizons and PC as a specified relative, the CAO must approve the category of MA that most benefits the individual and the other members of the household applying for or receiving MA.
Exception: When
determining NMP eligibility for a family, all immediate family members
must be included in the eligibility decision (including SSI-related/Healthy
Horizons individuals). If eligibility is established for the family, any
SSI-related/Healthy Horizons–eligible family members must be opened in
the appropriate SSI-related/Healthy Horizons category. If the family is
not eligible for NMP, one individual’s eligibility can be established
by the removal of the SSI-related/Healthy Horizons individuals from the
eligibility determination.
NOTE: If an elderly or disabled individual is ineligible for Healthy Horizons Categorically Needy, Medically Needy Only, or Medicare Cost-Sharing coverage because he or she has income that is too high, then the caseworker must determine eligibility for Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) or Qualifying Individuals Group 1 (QI-1). (Chapter 319, Healthy Horizons.)
A PA/TA recipient must be age 65 or older. The category is based only on age and identified by “A”. An individual meets the age requirement on the first day of the month in which he or she has his or her 65th birthday. The CAO must make sure the individual proves that he or she really is age 65 or older, and then the age must be recorded. Once that takes place, age does not have to be proven again unless it appears that the individual may not have been truthful about age.
55
Pa. Code § 178.11(1) 55 Pa. Code § 178.12(1)
NOTE: The CAO must determine eligibility for a Healthy Horizons category before considering PA or TA.
People who are eligible for PA/TA must also be considered
for Buy-In of Medicare premiums. (IEVS
Handbook, Chapter 10; Chapter
319, Healthy Horizons;
and Chapter 388, Buy-In.)
A TA individual who is ineligible for Cost-Sharing Healthy Horizons (PG 00) or PA and whose income is more than 100% but less than 120% of FPIGs must be considered for eligibility as SLMB. 55 Pa. Code § 140.201(d)
A TA individual who is ineligible for coverage as SLMB whose income is at least 120% but less than 135% of FPIGs must be considered for eligibility as a QI-1.
A PAN/TAN recipient must be age 65 or older and be living in a Long-Term Care (LTC) facility or ICF/MR.
A recipient of PAW/TAW must be age 65 or older and be receiving Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS).
A PM recipient must be age 21 or older and meet the following vision requirements of the Social Security Administration (SSA) for SSI blind individuals:
Have 20/200 or poorer vision in the better eye with the best correcting lens.
Have
such limited vision that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends
an angle no greater than 20 degrees.
A PMN recipient must be age 21 or older and living in a nursing facility or ICF-MR. The individual must also meet the same vision criteria as the PM recipient (see above).
A PMW recipient must be age 21 or older and be found eligible to get home and community-based services. The individual also must meet the same vision criteria as the PM recipient (see above).
A recipient of State Blind Pension (SBP) may be approved for MNO under the TJ category. The SBP category does not cover inpatient doctor and hospital care. The CAO will determine whether an SBP recipient meets MNO requirements for inpatient doctor and hospital coverage. The caseworker will use CIS to verify SBP eligibility (category B).
NOTE: The CAO will need to close the SBP case if there is a need for NCE coverage in order to pay a medical expense not covered by SBP benefits.
If the SBP recipient qualifies for Healthy Horizons Cost-Sharing, the CAO must assign Program Status Code 80 to the B category.
NOTE: The SBP payment is counted as income when determining eligibility for MNO and Healthy Horizons Cost-Sharing.
The PJ/TJ recipient must be under age 65 and be permanently and totally disabled according to Social Security disability requirements (Section 305.25).
55 Pa. Code §§ 178.11(a)(2) 55 Pa. Code § 178.12(a)(2)
The PJ/TJ category includes children of any age who are permanently and totally disabled.
People who are eligible for PJ/TJ must also be reviewed for Buy-In of Medicare premiums. (IEVS Handbook, Chapter 10, Chapter 319, Healthy Horizons and Chapter 388, Buy-In)
When an individual meets the criteria for TJ but is over the income limit, the individuals must be reviewed for QI-1.
A PJN/TJN recipient must be under age 65, disabled, and living in a LTC facility or ICF-MR.
A PJW/TJW recipient must be under age 65, disabled, and
eligible for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program.
NOTE: If an individual under age 65 appears to meet the Social Security disability requirements, the CAO must approve PJ/TJ while a determination is made. (Section 305.26.)
An individual is permanently and totally disabled if he or she meets one of the following conditions:
55
Pa. Code § 140.221(2) 55 Pa. Code § 141.81(c)(iv)
The
individual is now receiving or is eligible for Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits because
of disability. Proof of the individual’s eligibility is required.
NOTE: An individual who gets VA disability or federal civil service disability may not meet the requirements. Disability criteria for these benefits is different from SSA disability criteria.
NOTE:
Effective March 29, 1996, the Contract with America Advancement
Act of 1996, P. L. 104-121, which amended the Social Security Act, says
that people who are diagnosed only with an alcohol or drug addiction do
not get SSI or RSDI
benefits. If an individual with an alcohol or drug addiction has another
medical or mental problem, the individual may qualify for SSI or RSDI
on that basis.
The individual is found permanently and totally disabled based on RSDI/SSI disability criteria by SSA or DHS’s Medical Review Team (MRT).
The individual used to be a recipient who was considered disabled by SSA or by the MRT, and the disability certification is still valid. If the individual had been receiving SSI or RSDI and benefits were stopped for a reason other than disability status, the disability certification is still valid if his or her condition has not changed. If the individual’s condition has changed, the MRT needs to reevaluate his or her disability.
The individual is a resident in a state school and hospital for the intellectually disabled and needs skilled or intermediate nursing care.
The CAO will make sure the individual truly meets one of
the disability requirements and must narrate the information in the case
record.
Reminder: The CAO will not assume that an individual who is under age 65 and getting Social Security is disabled. The benefit may be for early retirement, a widow's benefit, or a surviving child's benefit. The CAO will find out what type of Social Security the individual is getting.
Proof that someone is disabled includes, but is not limited to, the following:
A Social Security award letter which tells what type of benefit the individual is receiving.
A collateral contact with SSA.
A disability begin date shown on IEVS Exchange 3 (BENDEX) or Exchange 6 (SDX).
An SSI award letter and termination letter showing the reason that benefits were stopped.
A copy of disability certification from the state MRT (The certification appears on a Medical Review Team Transmittal) [PA 749].
A current copy of a Medical Evaluation Form (MA 51) in the record with the Medical Consultant's certification of the need for skilled or intermediate nursing care if the individual is a resident of a state school or hospital for the intellectually disabled.
If an individual does not meet one of the disability requirements in Section 305.25 but appears to be disabled, the CAO will refer him or her to the Disability Advocacy Program (DAP). (Supplemental Handbook, Chapter 820.) A individual may be considered permanently and totally disabled if one of the following conditions is met:
The individual has a physical or mental impairment that may last at least 12 months in a row or may lead to death.
The individual cannot engage
in substantial
gainful activity (SGA).
NOTE:
For an adult, “substantial gainful activity” is any significant
mental or physical work that he or she is paid for. Although SGA is still
one way that SSA can determine eligibility for disability benefits, the
SGA limit must no longer be used in determining eligibility for Healthy
Horizons.
The individual cannot perform
his or her former job and cannot work in any other job in the national
economy.
NOTE:
For MA purposes there is no conflict between disability determination
and receipt of UC.
The receipt of UC does not prevent a individual from meeting the definition
of disabled.
The individuals vision is 20/200 or worse in the better eye even with glasses or other correcting lenses.
The individual is a disabled
child who has a physical or mental condition or conditions that can
be medically proven and that cause severe limitations on how he or
she functions. The condition must be expected to last at least 12
months or cause the individual to die.
The DAP advocate will refer the individual to SSA or the
MRT to determine whether the individual meets a permanent and total disability
requirement. The CAO will approve PH, PJ, or TJ until the determination
is made. 55 Pa. Code § 141.81 (e) (ii)
NOTE: This approval is based on Presumptive Eligibility. It applies mostly for the period when the Medical Review Team (MRT) determination is still being made. However, it can be approved for an earlier period if (a) the medical assessment form is returned showing a permanent disability and (b) the doctor or psychologist notes a begin date before or on the date for when coverage for past dates is requested.
The request for retroactive coverage can be pended until the MRT review is made, but the CAO must request the MRT review of the individual’s condition during the retroactive period (inclusive date) on the DAP Referral Form.
See Supplemental Handbook, Chapter 820 for referral information and procedures.
MA coverage is extended for an individual who becomes ineligible
for SSI cash payment because of special circumstances. (Section 387.53,
End of SSI Benefits and Section 387.6,
Extended NMP—Special Situations.) Benefits for the individual
who qualifies under these special circumstances are opened in either the
PA, PJ, or PM category.
The following are some of the special circumstances that would require review:
Lynch v. Rank, “PICKLE”.
The PICKLE Amendment as expanded by the Lynch v. Rank court decision, provides for the disregard of Title II RSDI Cost-of-Living increases when an individual who is receiving both SSI and RSDI is determined to be ineligible for SSI due to the increase in the RSDI income. The CAO will determine eligibility for NMP as for any other SSI-related applicant or recipient, but will disregard any RSDI COLAs received since the SSI closure. Eligibility for NMP is determined using the RSDI benefit received in the last month of SSI eligibility. (Chapter 387, Section 387.61 Loss of SSI—Disregard of COLAs.)
NOTE: The CAO must count any increases in RSDI that were given for reasons other than a COLA.
Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits.
A disabled adult child who has lost SSI benefits because the individual received an increase in Title II Social Security benefits may continue to be eligible for NMP. (Section 387.62, Title II Disabled Adult Child.)
Employment benefits/1619(b) Eligibles.
Special SSI recipient status is given to an individual with a disability or who is blind whose earnings from employment make the individual ineligible for an SSI cash payment. The SSA makes the eligibility determination for special SSI recipient status. (Section 387.63, Disabled Employment.)
Widows and widowers benefits.
Certain disabled widows and widowers who lost SSI because of entitlement to or increase in Title II RSDI benefits continue to be eligible for MA. For MA eligibility purposes, the CAO must consider these people to be recipients of SSI benefits. (Section 387.64, Disabled Widows and Widowers.)
NOTE: The SDX MA eligibility codes on IEVS Exchange #6 usually show the recipient’s MA eligibility. The CAO must review the codes for continued MA coverage (see “Using IEVS”). The CAO may need to contact SSA for more information if the IEVS information is unclear or incomplete.
MA eligible children with
a disability under the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997.
The Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 states that children getting SSI on August 22, 1996, who lost SSI because the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 changed the SSI definition of disability for children, remain eligible for MA.
As a result of the PRWORA change to the disability definition, children receiving SSI benefits on August 22, 1996, were reviewed by SSA for continuing SSI eligibility using the revised disability definition. SSI was terminated on or after July 1, 1997, for these children who did not meet the new disability definition.
(Section 387.65, MA-Eligible Disabled Children under the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997.)
Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD) has two groups.
PW (Workers With a Disability) identifies recipients who:
Public Law 106-170 Act 2001-77 (P. L. 755)
Are at least 16 years old but younger than 65.
Are employed and receiving income.
Are disabled according to the SSA or the DHS Medical Review Team (MRT).
Have countable monthly income below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIGs).
Have countable resources of $10,000 or less.
PI (Workers With a Medically Improved Disability) identifies recipients who:
Meet the age, income, and resource requirements of the PW category.
Are employed at least 40 hours a month and are earning at least minimum wage.
Have a disability that has improved over time so that it no longer meets SSA’s disability criteria.
Have previously gotten on-going MA coverage in the PW category and have been discontinued because their medical condition has improved.
NOTE: The CAO will continue PW coverage until the determination for PI coverage is made. PW must be closed and PI opened with no break in coverage.
Recipients who meet the income and resource requirements are eligible for Buy-In of Medicare premiums. (See Chapter 316, MAWD.)
PH 20 identifies women who are eligible for coverage under the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment (BCCPT) Program.
BCCPT provides full MA health care coverage for women who need treatment for breast or cervical cancer or a precancerous condition of the breast or cervix. (Chapter 317.)
The PH 95 category is for children with special needs.
The child must be considered for all other MA categories before PH 95
is approved.
NOTE: PH 95 is a category of last resort for children with special needs.
For a child to be eligible for the PH 95 category, the following conditions must be met:
The child must be under 18 years of age.
The child must meet the SSA’s disability standards. The disability requires proof from the SSA or DHS’s Medical Review Team (MRT).
The parents must declare and provide documentation of all earned and unearned income for themselves and the child.
SelectPlan for Women program will increase access to family planning services for women in Pennsylvania.
Services Provided.
Family planning related physical exams and outpatient office visits.
All FDA approved medication and supplies to prevent conception.
Testing for non-infectious conditions, such as a cervical cancer.
Testing for infectious agents,
including HIV.
NOTE:
Per Federal law, abortion is NOT a family planning service
and is NOT a covered
service.
Eligibility
Requirements.
Female.
Not pregnant or sterilized.
Pennsylvania resident.
NOTE: A college student who is under 21, attends college in Pennsylvania and whose parents reside in another state may not claim Pennsylvania residency.
United States citizen or has satisfactory status for MA.
Age 18 through age 44.
Updated March 8, 2021, Replacing March 16, 2018