A data exchange between SSA and DHCS started on a daily basis on January 1, 2010. Counties will receive two types of applications from SSA. The first will be LIS Extra Help applications where SSA has completed a determination of whether the individual is eligible for LIS Extra Help.The second are applications where the applicant self-assesses that they are apparently over the resource limit for LIS and they wish to have their information sent to the state to determine whether they are eligible for an MSP. The letter has extensive details on what data must be exchanged and what the counties are responsible for. [Download]

This ACWDL delineates the responsibilities of counties when providing language services to Limited-English Proficient (LEP) and
non-English proficient applicants/beneficiaries, and it establishes procedures to ensure that LEP and non-English proficient applicants/beneficiaries are informed that free interpreter services are available.

Counties are responsible for ensuring that LEP individuals have access to meaningful language services, and must take necessary steps to ensure that interpretive services and written translations are provided to LEP applicants/beneficiaries, regardless of the size of the language group. The letter contains six guidelines for providing appropriate service to LEP individuals. [http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/eligibility/Documents/c10-03.pdf]

This ACWDL includes a stuffer which was sent to individuals in aid codes 14, 17, 24, 27, 64 and 67 in January of 2010. [Download]

DHCS mailed out the Pickle Tickler NOAs the first week of January 2010 to individuals who currently receive Title II benefits; have been discontinued from the SSI/SSP since December 2004 (for any reason); and were determined ineligible during the Pickle screening process. Pursuant to the Lynch v. Rank lawsuit, each potentially eligible Pickle individual must receive a Pickle Medi-Cal notice for three consecutive years. [Download]

Effective January 4, 2010, DHCS implemented a Social Security Number matching process to verify the citizenship and identity of Medi-Cal applicants and beneficiaries who are subject to the citizenship/identity requirements of the DRA. A successful match fulfils the DRA’s Citizenship and Identity requirements and no further documentation is needed from the applicant or beneficiary for this purpose. Thus, counties will see savings in administrative costs and staff time needed for DRA compliance. Further, most applicants and beneficiaries are spared the effort and expense of having to locate or obtain acceptable documentation. [Download]

In 2005 clothing was eliminated from the definition of In-Kind Support and Maintenance for SSI. Therefore, to remain no more restrictive than the SSI program, In-Kind amounts for clothing must be eliminated from the Medically Needy rules and from the rule for programs following the SSI rules. The Income-In-Kind for clothing for the Section 1931(b) program remains the same. [Download]