To prove his or her identity, an individual must have identity verified through electronic interfaces or provide one or more documents with identifying information that names him or her.
These identity rules do not apply to the following:
Pregnant women who are presumptively eligible (PS17) for MA.
Adults and children who are presumptively eligible (MG 17) for MA.
Individuals who are getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
Individuals who are getting Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.
Individuals
entitled to or enrolled in Medicare Part A
or Part
B.
NOTE: An individual who used to get Social Security Administration (SSA) or SSI benefits or who no longer qualifies for Medicare Part A or Part B must not be excused from verifying identity. It is possible for an individual to lose SSA, SSI, Medicare Part A or Part B because he or she showed false proof of identity to the SSA. Only current recipients of SSD, SSI, Medicare Part A or Part B are excused from having to prove identity.
Newborns initially eligible for MA because their mothers were on MA at the time of birth are considered to have provided satisfactory documentation of citizenship and identity by virtue of being born in the United States. Citizenship and Identity documentation is not required at birth or at any renewal or application for MA thereafter.
Individuals who are getting Title IVB or Title IVE foster care or adoption assistance. (PC/PCN 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 or 37)
The CAO must make copies of documents used to prove identity.
Those copies become a permanent part of the case record.
NOTE: Religious groups do not have good cause to be exempt from MA requirements.
320.21 Electronic Data Sources
The CAO must attempt to verify identity using available electronic data sources before requesting any documentation from applicants/recipients. Electronic data sources for verifying identity include:
Social Security Administration. (SSA)
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. (PennDOT)
The CAO should only request documents listed in Section 320.22, Primary-Level Proof of Identity, Section 320.23, Secondary-Level Proof of Identity and Section 320.24, Affidavits if identity cannot be verified using electronic sources.
320.211 Social Security Administration (SSA)
All MA applicants who declare to be United States citizens will be sent electronically during Application Processing (AP) to SSA for verification of citizenship and identity. The interface requests are completed through the Master Client Index (MCI) and results are stored in MCI. MCI will show an electronic verification code (V) and a source code for SSA (S) for identity.
If SSA returns verification of citizenship and identity, the information is stored in MCI and no further action is needed to verify identify.
If SSA does not return verification of identity, the CAO must review other electronic data sources for verification of identify before requesting documentation from the individual.
320.212 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
If an individual’s identity cannot be verified through SSA during Application Processing (AP), the system will attempt to verify identify through an interface with PennDOT for any individual where a PA Driver’s License number is indicated.
If this interface is unsuccessful, the CAO must attempt to use the PennDOT interface available through Pennsylvania’s Justice Network (JNET). See Chapter 378, Appendix G.
The following documents may be used as primary-level proof of identity. Most include a photograph of the individual named in the document.
U.S. passport.
Certificate of Naturalization (Department of Homeland Security Form N-550 or N-570).
Certificate of United States Citizenship (Department of Homeland Security Form N-560 or N-561).
Tribal enrollment or membership documents issued by a federally-recognized Indian Tribe showing membership, enrollment in or affiliation with such Tribe must be accepted as verification of citizenship; no additional identity documents are required. The document must identify the federally-recognized Indian Tribe which issued it and identify the individual by name. Examples may include: Tribal enrollment/membership cards, a certificate of degree of Indian blood issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a Tribal census document or a document issued by a Tribe indicating an individual’s affiliation with the Tribe. Tribal documents are considered to be as reliable as a passport.
The following documents may be used as secondary-level
proof of identity:
NOTE: These documents cannot be used as proof of citizenship or nationality.
NOTE:
Identity documents that have recently expired are acceptable
as long as there is no reason to believe that the document does not refer
to the individual using it as proof of identity.
.
Pennsylvania
or out-of-state driver’s license with the individual’s picture or
other identifying information, such as name, age, sex, race, height,
weight or eye color. (does not need to be current)
NOTE:
The CAO must not accept a Canadian driver’s license.
Pennsylvania
or out-of-state identity card issued to a non-driver with the individual’s
picture or other identifying information, such as name, age, sex,
race, height, weight or eye color. (does not need to be current)
NOTE: The CAO must not accept a voter registration card.
NOTE:
CAOs are not allowed to pay the $10 fee for an individual’s
state photo ID.
U.S. military ID or draft record. (active duty, dependent, retired, reserve or National Guard)
U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card.
ID
card issued by federal, state or local government with the individual’s
picture or other identifying information, such as name, age, sex,
race, height, weight or eye color. (for example, a Pennsylvania License
to Carry Firearms)
NOTE:
A “Child ID Card” issued by a life insurance company or nongovernmental
agency as a free service for child protection is not acceptable as proof
of identity.
Military dependent's identification card.
Three
or more documents such as marriage licenses, divorce decrees, high
school and college diplomas (including general education and high
school equivalency diplomas) from accredited institutions, property
deeds or titles and employer ID cards.
NOTE: These documents can be used as proof of identity only if they have not been used to prove the individual’s citizenship and the individual submitted secondary-level or third-level (but not fourth-level) proof of citizenship.
NOTE:
These documents must not conflict with each other. The papers
must be originals or certified copies.
For children under 16, school records including report cards, day care or nursery school records. (The CAO must confirm these records with the schools that issue them.)
School identification card (from a primary school, secondary school, higher-level school or educational institute) with the individual’s picture.
For children under age 16, clinic, doctor or hospital records.
Acknowledgement
of Paternity form (PA/CS 611).
NOTE:
The actual form must be in the case record. The Bureau of
Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) will provide a certified copy of the
PA/CS 611 when it receives a written
request, a fax request or a telephone call from the CAO. The CAO must
try to obtain other forms of ID before accepting a PA/CS
611.
Data
matches with the Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
An affidavit (sworn statement) can be used as proof of identity only if the individual could not provide any primary-level or secondary-level documents.
If an affidavit is used as proof of identity, the following rules apply:
When a disabled individual in a residential care facility cannot get any of the documents listed above, he or she can have his or her identity attested to by the head of the facility. The affidavit must be signed under penalty of perjury. The definition of disability will be determined by the facility itself.
An
affidavit can be used for children under the age of 16.
Exception: In limited circumstances, affidavits may be used for children age 17 or 18, such as when school ID cards and driver’s licenses are not available to them before age 18.
The
affidavit must be signed under penalty of perjury by a parent, guardian
or caretaker relative.
NOTE: The affidavit may be signed by a parent who is an undocumented non-citizen.
NOTE:
If the parent, guardian, or caretaker relative is unwilling
or unable to sign the affidavit, a representative of the county may sign
the affidavit when legal custody has been transferred to the Children
and Youth Agency or when the child is under court-ordered placement through
the Juvenile Probation Office.
NOTE: An affidavit for identification of children under age 16 does not have to be signed again at each renewal of benefits.
NOTE: A child who turns age 16 whose identity was proven with an affidavit does not need to show any other proof of identity.
When an affidavit is used as proof of citizenship, another affidavit cannot be used as proof of identity.
An IMCW may be a witness to an affidavit in a face-to-face interview but not to a mailed-in affidavit.
An
affidavit does not need to be notarized.
NOTE: An affidavit cannot be used to prove identity for a permanent resident non-citizen, a temporary resident non-citizen, or an undocumented non-citizen. Affidavits are only to be used to prove identity for U.S. citizens.
320.25 Not Acceptable as Verification of Identity
The following are not acceptable proof of identity for MA:
Social Security cards.
Birth certificates.
MA 112s from hospitals.
Updated April 29, 2024, Replacing November 5, 2019