WSR 97-02-049
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Public Assistance)
[Filed December 30, 1996, 2:42 p.m., effective January 1, 1997]
Date of Adoption: December 30, 1996.
Purpose: Adopt new one-person income standard for the medically needy program and increase the community spouse resource standard effective January 1, 1997.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-507-0710 and 388-513-1350.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, and 74.09.500.
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.
Reasons for this Finding: Implement federal increase in standards.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 2, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 1997.
December 30, 1996
Leslie Baldwin
for Merry Kogut, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending Order 3963, filed 4/10/96, effective 5/11/96 WAC 388-507-0710 AFDC-related medical income standards. (1) The department shall determine income standards for AFDC-related clients as described under WAC 388-505-0590 (2) and (4).
(2) Effective January 1, 1996, the department shall set the
medically needy income level (MNIL) at:
(a) One person $ ((496)) 512
(b) Two persons $ 592
(c) Three persons $ 667
(d) Four persons $ 742
(e) Five persons $ 858
(f) Six persons $ 975
(g) Seven persons $1,125
(h) Eight persons $1,242
(i) Nine persons $1,358
(j) Ten persons and above $1,483
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and Title XIX State Agency Letter
95-44. 96-09-033 (Order 3963), 388-507-0710, filed 4/10/96, effective
5/11/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and Title XIX State Agency
Letter 94-49, notice of increase in SSI level. 95-05-022 (Order 3832),
388-507-0710, filed 2/8/95, effective 3/11/95. Statutory Authority:
RCW 74.08.090. 94-10-065 (Order 3732), 388-507-0710, filed 5/3/94,
effective 6/3/94.]
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending Order 3963, filed 4/10/96, effective 5/11/96 WAC 388-513-1350 Institutional--Available resources. (1) Resources are defined under chapter 388-511 WAC for an SSI-related client and under WAC 388-22-030 for an AFDC-related client.
(2) The methodology and standards for determining and evaluating resources are under WAC 388-513-1310, 388-513-1330, 388-513-1340, and 388-513-1360. Transfers of resources are evaluated under WAC 388-513-1365.
(3) The department shall determine ownership of resources following Washington state community property principles for a person:
(a) Whose most recent period of institutionalization began on or before September 30, 1989; and
(b) Who remains continuously institutionalized.
(4) For purposes of Medicaid eligibility, the department shall consider resources are:
(a) Community resources when jointly held in the:
(i) Names of both the institutionalized and community spouse; or
(ii) Name of the institutionalized spouse only.
(b) The separate property of the community spouse when:
(i) Held in the separate name of the community spouse; or
(ii) Transferred between spouses as described under WAC ((388-513-1370(6))) 388-513-1350(7).
(5) The department shall:
(a) Divide by two, the total value of the community resources the spouses own; and
(b) Assign one-half of the total value of the community resources to each spouse.
(6) The department shall not consider a person continuously institutionalized if, for thirty consecutive days, the person:
(a) Is absent from an institution; or
(b) Does not receive home-based or community-based waivered services.
(7) For the purpose of determining Medicaid eligibility of a person, whose most recent continuous period of institutionalization starts on or after October 1, 1989, the department shall:
(a) Exclude resources as described under WAC 388-511-1160; except, the department shall exempt one vehicle without regard to use or value when the institutionalized person has a community spouse;
(b) Consider available to the community spouse, resources in the name of either the community spouse or the institutionalized spouse, except resources exceeding the greater of:
(i) Seventy-((six)) nine thousand ((seven hundred forty)) twenty
dollars effective January 1, ((1996)) 1997;
(ii) An amount established by a fair hearing under chapter 388-08 WAC when the community spouse's resource allowance is inadequate to provide a minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance; or
(iii) An amount ordered transferred to the community spouse by the court.
(c) Ensure resources available to the community spouse are in the name of the community spouse or transferred to the community spouse or to another person for the sole benefit of the community spouse:
(i) Before the first regularly scheduled eligibility review; or
(ii) As soon as practicable thereafter, taking into account such time as may be necessary to obtain a court order for the support of the community spouse.
(d) Consider resources greater than such resources described under subsection (7)(b) of this section available to the institutional spouse.
(8) The department shall consider resources of the community spouse:
(a) Unavailable to the institutionalized spouse:
(i) The month after the institutionalized spouse is determined eligible for institutional benefits; and
(ii) While the institutionalized spouse remains in a continuous period of institutionalization.
(b) Available to the institutionalized spouse when the institutionalized spouse:
(i) Acquires resources which, when added to resources held by the institutionalized spouse, exceed the one-person resource maximum, if the most recent period of institutionalization began on or after October 1, 1989; or
(ii) Has a break of thirty days or more in a period of institutionalization.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and Title XIX State Agency Letter 95-44. 96-09-033 (Order 3963), 388-513-1350, filed 4/10/96, effective 5/11/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and Title XIX State Agency Letter 94-49, notice of increase in SSI level. 95-05-022 (Order 3832), 388-513-1350, filed 2/8/95, effective 3/11/95. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090. 94-23-129 (Order 3808), 388-513-1350, filed 11/23/94, effective 12/24/94; 94-10-065 (Order 3732), 388-513-1350, filed 5/3/94, effective 6/3/94. Formerly parts of WAC 388-95-337 and 388-95-340.]