IMA POLICY MANUAL PART VI: FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
CHAPTER 4: DETERMINING COUNTABLE INCOME
Senior Community Service Employment 4.41
ALL
Income earned under this program established by Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 is excluded.
Social Security Benefits - Old Age, Survivors, Disability Insurance (OASDI) 4.42
ALL
OASDI benefits or Social Security benefits (also called Title II benefits) are available to retired and disabled persons, their dependents, and the survivors of deceased workers. If monies are deducted from Social Security benefits to repay a previous overpayment, the amount recouped from the benefits does not count as income, and must be excluded. Monies deducted for Medicare premiums must be included as income. Social Security benefits are counted as unearned income.
MA
AR: N/A
AX: N/A
SR: If an applicant or recipient of Medicaid under the SR program type received Title II benefits, the amount of the Title II COLA is disregarded for the first three months of the calendar year, from January 1 - March 31. The Title II COLAs are disregarded to ensure that individuals do not become ineligible for MA based on the annual inflation adjustment to Title II benefits because this adjustment is made several months prior to the adjustment in the federal poverty level used to determine SR eligibility.
QM: See SR.
MC: N/A
FS
If the Social Security Administration is deducting Medicare premiums from an OASDI benefit, count the gross amount of OASDI as income. Consider the Medicare premiums as a medical expense (see Section 6.3: Income Disregards and Deductions in this Part.)
Spouse Support 4.43
ALL
Spouse support is a legally enforceable obligation for the financial support of a spouse or former spouse. It is usually in the form of maintenance payments during a marital separation or alimony following a divorce decree.
MA
Count as unearned income the cash amount of any spouse support received.
TANF
See MA.
GC
See MA.
FS
See MA. Also, count as unearned income spouse support that is otherwise payable to the family that is diverted to a creditor for a household expense. Do not include as unearned income support payments, whether court-ordered or voluntary, to a third-party that are not otherwise payable to the family.
Example 1
A court orders Mr. Patel to pay $400 per month to Sonali, his former spouse. Mr. Patel and Sonali agree that he will pay $350 per month directly to Sonali's landlord. The entire $400 counts as unearned income for Sonali.
Example 2
A court orders Mr. Leigh to pay $300 per month to Janet, his former spouse, and another $200 per month directly to a bank to repay a car loan. Only $300 counts as unearned income for Janet.
Strike Benefits 4.44
MA
Count the gross amount of compensation for persons on strike as unearned income.
TANF
See MA.
GC
See MA.
FS
See Chapter 11: Strikers in Part IV for the treatment of strikers in the FS Program. If the striker's income on the day before the strike is higher than the striker's income while on strike, the individual's income on the day before the strike is used to determine FS eligibility and benefits. Thus, if the individual's income was higher prior to the strike, strike benefits will be excluded in lieu of using the individual's higher pre-strike income.
Example
Mr. Holland is part of a FS household. Mr. Holland participates in a strike and reports his loss of earnings to his SSR. Prior to the strike, Mr. Holland earned $900 per month and had no other income. His strike benefits equal $450, and he now has no other income. Because Mr. Holland's pre-strike income exceeds his income from strike benefits, the SSR continues to use his pre-strike income to calculate FS benefits.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 4.45
MA
Groups comprised solely of SSI and TANF recipients are categorically eligible for MA benefits and therefore do not have to meet the income or asset tests (see Section 12.3: Who is Categorically Eligible in Part IV). The SSI payments are not considered income for any other group members living with an SSI recipient.
Example
Ms. Meltzer lives with her two daughters, Lisa and Shayna. Shayna receives SSI. When determining MA eligibility for Ms. Meltzer and Lisa, Shayna's SSI income is excluded. Shayna is in her own MA group.
TANF
An SSI recipient cannot be included in the group.
Exclude money given to the group by an SSI recipient who:
Would be a mandatory group member were it not for the receipt of SSI.
Is the step-parent of a dependent child.
Is the parent of a minor caretaker relative.
Is a spouse of group member.
Is another person who is giving the money for shared living expenses.
Count any money actually given to the group by other SSI recipients.
GC
See TANF.
FS
Count as unearned income the gross amount minus any monies deposited in a 'Plan to Achieve Self Support' (PASS) account or that were deducted to repay an overpayment. Monies deducted to repay an overpayment are never countable as income. Groups comprised solely of SSI and TANF recipients are categorically eligible (see Section 12.3: Who is Categorically Eligible in Part IV) for FS benefits and, therefore, do not have to meet the gross income test or asset test.
