Effective January 1, 2018, the community spouse resource allocation (CSRA) under the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act has been increased to $123,600. The minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance (MMMNA) has also been increased to $3090 per month.
DHCS ACWDL 17-40 (December 29, 2017).
DHCS issued an All County Letter to update counties about eligibility for pregnancy services. Based on Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, SAWS will change its language for Medi-Cal NOAs about coverage of pregnancy services. The programming will allow pregnancy to be selected for any person on a Medi-Cal case regardless of gender. As of July 18, 2016, all persons, regardless of gender identity, may request eligibility on the basis of pregnancy when applying for public insurance programs. CalHEERS is working on an update to reflect this change.
DHCS ACWDL 17-38 (December 4, 2017).
As of January 1, 2018, the Department of Health Care Services has restored all optional adult dental benefits that had been eliminated in 2009. DHCS issued an All Plan Letter to dental managed care plans with a benefits quick reference guide to describe the restored procedures. DHCS Dental APL 17-009 (November 27, 2017).
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, Justice in Aging, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice developed a pamphlet in English and Spanish to describe the change in benefits. https://cpehn.org/blog/201801/what-you-need-know-restored-dental-benefits-adults-california.
Western Center on Law and Poverty also created a one-page flyer about the changes: https://wclp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Full-Restoration-of-Adult-Dental-Benefits-1pager-1.pdf
The California Department of Education (CDE) has issued instructions that Social Security Numbers are no longer required to be collected from families receiving subsidized child care. Social Security Numbers are no longer required for child care eligibility certification. The CDE child care application has been revised to eliminate the Social Security Number field. The privacy notice and consent form is no longer necessary and is not to be used. (Management Bulletin 17-20, November, 2017.)
The California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) has issued a new policy about release of judgment liens. LSCAs are required to record real property liens as part of enforcing child support orders. LCSA must release real property liens when closing a case.
Existing regulations allow Local Child Support Agencies (LCSAs) to either record lien releases or provide lien releases to obligors to record. Effective January 1, 2018, the fee to record a release of lien is $75. LCSAs are exempt from the new fee. For that reason, LCSAs must now record record Release of Judgment Liens on behalf of the obligor unless an obligor asks to record it themselves or through an escrow transaction.
LCSA can record lien releases without a notary certificate. Obligors must still provide a notary certificate if they record a lien release themselves. (CSSP Letter 17-11, December 29, 2017.)
CDSS has issued instructions implementing SB 570 regarding CalWORKs treatment of Veterans education, training, vocation or rehabilitation benefits. Effective January 1, 2018, Veterans Administration benefits for education, training, vocation or rehabilitation are exempt as income for purposes of CalWORKs for veterans, dependents of veterans and spouses of veterans who either died in the line of duty or have a service-connected disability. Asset rules continue to apply these benefits, meaning that they are considered property in future months.
The exemption also applies to households categorically eligible for CalFresh because they receive CalWORKs. The exemption does not apply to CalFresh only households.
Veterans benefits now excluded as income for CalWORKs include but are not limited to GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services, Yellow Ribbon Program, Survivors and Dependant Assistance Program, Tutorial Assistance, License and Certification Reimbursement, National Call to Service Program, Compensated Work Therapy and Work Study.
Counties must create a manual business process to implement the veterans benefits exclusion until each respective computer consortia is programmed to implement the exclusion. (ACL 17-125, December 29, 2017.)