PERMANENT RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Health and Recovery Services Administration)
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: Per federal statute, effective January 1, 2010, the resource standards for medicare savings programs change to match the resource standards for the medicare Part D low-income subsidy. The resource standards will be adjusted yearly after that.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-517-0310.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: Public Law 110-275, Section 113 (Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act).
Other Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, and 74.09.500.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 09-17-104 on August 18, 2009.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: September 25, 2009.
Stephanie E. Vaughn
Rules Coordinator
-4140.1(a) Be entitled to or receiving medicare Part A. Qualified disabled working individuals (QDWI) clients must be under age sixty-five;
(b) Meet program income standards, see WAC 388-478-0085; and
(c) Have resources ((at or below twice the resource
standards for SSI and SSI related programs, see WAC 388-478-0080(4))) equal to or less than the medicare Part D
low-income subsidy resource standard found at:
http://hrsa.dshs.wa.gov/Eligibility/images/Standards%20Chart%20July%202008%20Final.pdf.
(2) MSP follow categorically needy program rules for SSI related persons in chapter 388-475 WAC.
(3) MSP clients are entitled to a fair hearing when the department takes an adverse action such as denying or terminating MSP benefits.
(4) The department subtracts the allocations and deductions described under WAC 388-513-1380 from a long-term care client's countable income and resources when determining MSP eligibility:
(a) Allocations to a spouse and/or dependent family member; and
(b) Client participation in cost of care.
(5) Medicaid eligibility may affect MSP eligibility, as follows:
(a) Qualified medicare beneficiaries (QMB) and specified low income beneficiaries (SLMB) clients can receive medicaid and still be eligible to receive QMB or SLMB benefits.
(b) Qualified individuals (QI-1) and qualified disabled working individuals (QDWI) clients who begin to receive medicaid are no longer eligible for QI-1 or QDWI benefits.
(6) Every year, when the federal poverty level changes:
(a) The department adjusts income standards for MSP and state funded medicare buy-in programs, see WAC 388-478-0085.
(b) The department begins to count the annual Social Security cost-of-living (COLA) increase on April 1st each year when determining eligibility for MSP and state funded medicaid buy-in programs.
(7) There is no income limit for the state-funded medicare buy-in program. The state-funded medicare buy-in program is for clients who receive medicaid but do not qualify for the federal MSP.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, 74.09.530 and 42 U.S.C. Section 1396a. 07-15-032, § 388-517-0310, filed 7/12/07, effective 8/12/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, 74.09.530, and 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a) (Section 1902 (n)(2) of the Social Security Act of 1924). 05-14-125, § 388-517-0310, filed 7/1/05, effective 8/1/05.]