Informs that California’s § 1115 Waiver Application was approved by CMS, providing Medi-Cal coverage to Hurricane Katrina evacuees and superseding ACWDL 05-30 and 05-30E. The letter also explains that evacuee status is good for five consecutive months, for application dates of August 24, 2005, and January 31, 2006. The period of August 24-31, 2005, does not count toward the five-month period, but no applications dated on or after February 1, 2006, will be approved under the waiver. Regular Medi-Cal eligibility requirements still must be satisfied; that is, the waiver does not cover adults aged 19-64 who are not disabled and have no dependents. If the applicant would have been eligible for regular Medi-Cal without the waiver, he or she does not have to reapply; if not otherwise eligible under any of the waiver’s seven eligibility groups, applicants must receive a Notice of Action informing them of the temporary status of their eligibility and their needs to reapply for permanent benefits. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
medi-cal
ACWDL 06-02: The Discontinuance of Medi-Cal Through Aid Codes 18, 28, and 68 (1/26/06)
Announces the discontinuance of Medi-Cal eligibility codes 18, 28, and 68 after January 31, 2006. [Download]
ACWDL 06-01: 2006 Tuberculosis Income Standard and Related Issues (1/23/06)
Updates the income standards and resource limits for Medi-Cal’s tuberculosis program, now at $1291 in income per month and $2000 in resources for an individual (if the applicant is married, this limit applies to all of the applicant’s separate property and half of the community property). [Download]
ACWDL 05-42: Increase in Substantial Gainful Activity Amount (12/19/05)
Makes note of the $30 Substantial Gainful Activity increase to $860 per month (effective January 1, 2006) and clarifies that, even where severe medical conditions exist, an applicant will not be considered disabled if he or she has average monthly earnings at or above the SGA level. [Download]
ACWDL 05-32: Section 1115 Demonstration Application Template – Evacuees of Hurricane Katrina (10/5/05)
Reminds counties that, pursuant to the Lynch v. Rank lawsuit, every potentially eligible Pickle person must receive a Pickle Medi-Cal notice for three consecutive years. The letter also announces that individuals listed during years previous to the most recent three will be dropped from the Pickle Tickler report and a year’s worth of ineligibles will be purged each year. Lynch also requires that each person on the Pickle Tickler listing who has an active Medi-Cal case or who brings the Tickler notice into the county welfare department to apply under the Pickle Amendment shall have an eligibility determination completed.[Download]
ACWDL 05-28: Medi-Cal Changes Due to a Property Change in the SSI program (8/29/05)
Effective April 1, 2005, all Medi-Cal programs that use SSI property rules (Pickle, Disabled Adult Child, Disabled Widow(er), and 250% Working Disabled) are to adopt the following changes:
· The definitions of “Household goods” and “personal effects” have been broadened and, regardless of their dollar value, no longer count as resources.
· The $500 limit for items of unusual value has been eliminated. [Download]