256B.056 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.
Subdivision 1. Residency. (a) To be eligible for medical assistance, a person must reside in Minnesota,
or, if absent from the state, be deemed to be a resident of Minnesota, in accordance with Code of Federal
Regulations, title 42, section 435.403.
(b) The commissioner shall identify individuals who are enrolled in medical assistance and who are
absent from the state for more than 30 consecutive days, but who continue to qualify for medical assistance
in accordance with paragraph (a).
(c) If the individual is absent from the state for more than 30 consecutive days but still deemed a resident
of Minnesota in accordance with paragraph (a), any covered service provided to the individual must be paid
through the fee-for-service system and not through the managed care capitated rate payment system under
section 256B.69 or 256L.12.
Subd. 1a. Income and assets generally. (a)(1) Unless specifically required by state law or rule or federal
law or regulation, the methodologies used in counting income and assets to determine eligibility for medical
assistance for persons whose eligibility category is based on blindness, disability, or age of 65 or more years,
the methodologies for the Supplemental Security Income program shall be used, except as provided under
subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (6).
(2) Increases in benefits under title II of the Social Security Act shall not be counted as income for
purposes of this subdivision until July 1 of each year. Effective upon federal approval, for children eligible
under section 256B.055, subdivision 12, or for home and community-based waiver services whose eligibility
for medical assistance is determined without regard to parental income, child support payments, including
any payments made by an obligor in satisfaction of or in addition to a temporary or permanent order for
child support, and Social Security payments are not counted as income.
(b)(1) The modified adjusted gross income methodology as defined in United States Code, title 42,
section 1396a(e)(14), shall be used for eligibility categories based on:
(i) children under age 19 and their parents and relative caretakers as defined in section 256B.055,
subdivision 3a;
(ii) children ages 19 to 20 as defined in section 256B.055, subdivision 16;
(iii) pregnant women as defined in section 256B.055, subdivision 6;
(iv) infants as defined in sections 256B.055, subdivision 10, and 256B.057, subdivision 1; and
(v) adults without children as defined in section 256B.055, subdivision 15.
For these purposes, a "methodology" does not include an asset or income standard, or accounting method,
or method of determining effective dates.
(2) For individuals whose income eligibility is determined using the modified adjusted gross income
methodology in clause (1):
(i) the commissioner shall subtract from the individual's modified adjusted gross income an amount
equivalent to five percent of the federal poverty guidelines; and
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(ii) the individual's current monthly income and household size is used to determine eligibility for the
12-month eligibility period. If an individual's income is expected to vary month to month, eligibility is
determined based on the income predicted for the 12-month eligibility period.
Subd. 1b. Aged, blind, and disabled income methodology. The $20 general income disregard allowed
under the Supplemental Security Income program is included in the standard and shall not be allowed as a
deduction from income for a person eligible under section 256B.055, subdivisions 7, 7a, and 12.
Subd. 1c. Families with children income methodology. (a) The commissioner shall adjust the income
standards under this section each July 1 by the annual update of the federal poverty guidelines following
publication by the United States Department of Health and Human Services except that the income standards
shall not go below those in effect on July 1, 2009.
(b) For children age 18 or under, annual gifts of $2,000 or less by a tax-exempt organization to or for
the benefit of the child with a life-threatening illness must be disregarded from income.
Subd. 1d. Treatment of certain monetary gifts. The commissioner shall disregard as income any
portion of a monetary gift received by an applicant or enrollee that is designated to purchase a prosthetic
device not covered by insurance, other third-party payers, or medical assistance.
Subd. 2. Homestead exclusion for persons residing in a long-term care facility. The homestead shall
be excluded for the first six calendar months of a person's stay in a long-term care facility and shall continue
to be excluded for as long as the recipient can be reasonably expected to return to the homestead. For purposes
of this subdivision, "reasonably expected to return to the homestead" means the recipient's attending physician,
advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant has certified that the expectation is reasonable,
and the recipient can show that the cost of care upon returning home will be met through medical assistance
or other sources. The homestead shall continue to be excluded for persons residing in a long-term care facility
if it is used as a primary residence by one of the following individuals:
(1) the spouse;
(2) a child under age 21;
(3) a child of any age who is blind or permanently and totally disabled as defined in the Supplemental
Security Income program;
(4) a sibling who has equity interest in the home and who resided in the home for at least one year
immediately before the date of the person's admission to the facility; or
(5) a child of any age or a grandchild of any age who resided in the home for at least two years
immediately before the date of the person's admission to the facility, and who provided care to the person
that permitted the person to reside at home rather than in an institution.
Subd. 2a. Home equity limit for medical assistance payment of long-term care services. (a) Effective
for requests of medical assistance payment of long-term care services filed on or after July 1, 2006, and for
renewals on or after July 1, 2006, for persons who received payment of long-term care services under a
request filed on or after January 1, 2006, the equity interest in the home of a person whose eligibility for
long-term care services is determined on or after January 1, 2006, shall not exceed $500,000, unless it is the
lawful residence of the person's spouse or child who is under age 21, or a child of any age who is blind or
permanently and totally disabled as defined in the Supplemental Security Income program. The amount
specified in this paragraph shall be increased beginning in year 2011, from year to year based on the percentage
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increase in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (all items; United States city average), rounded
to the nearest $1,000.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision, a "home" means any real or personal property interest, including
an interest in an agricultural homestead as defined under section 273.124, subdivision 1, that, at the time of
the request for medical assistance payment of long-term care services, is the primary dwelling of the person
or was the primary dwelling of the person before receipt of long-term care services began outside of the
home.
(c) A person denied or terminated from medical assistance payment of long-term care services because
the person's home equity exceeds the home equity limit may seek a waiver based upon a hardship by filing
a written request with the county agency. Hardship is an imminent threat to the person's health and well-being
that is demonstrated by documentation of no alternatives for payment of long-term care services. The county
agency shall make a decision regarding the written request to waive the home equity limit within 30 days
if all necessary information has been provided. The county agency shall send the person and the person's
representative a written notice of decision on the request for a demonstrated hardship waiver that also advises
the person of appeal rights under the fair hearing process of section 256.045.
Subd. 3. Asset limitations for certain individuals. (a) To be eligible for medical assistance, a person
must not individually own more than $3,000 in assets, or if a member of a household with two family
members, husband and wife, or parent and child, the household must not own more than $6,000 in assets,
plus $200 for each additional legal dependent. In addition to these maximum amounts, an eligible individual
or family may accrue interest on these amounts, but they must be reduced to the maximum at the time of an
eligibility redetermination. The accumulation of the clothing and personal needs allowance according to
section 256B.35 must also be reduced to the maximum at the time of the eligibility redetermination. The
value of assets that are not considered in determining eligibility for medical assistance is the value of those
assets excluded under the Supplemental Security Income program for aged, blind, and disabled persons,
with the following exceptions:
(1) household goods and personal effects are not considered;
(2) capital and operating assets of a trade or business that the local agency determines are necessary to
the person's ability to earn an income are not considered;
(3) motor vehicles are excluded to the same extent excluded by the Supplemental Security Income
program;
(4) assets designated as burial expenses are excluded to the same extent excluded by the Supplemental
Security Income program. Burial expenses funded by annuity contracts or life insurance policies must
irrevocably designate the individual's estate as contingent beneficiary to the extent proceeds are not used
for payment of selected burial expenses;
(5) for a person who no longer qualifies as an employed person with a disability due to loss of earnings,
assets allowed while eligible for medical assistance under section 256B.057, subdivision 9, are not considered
for 12 months, beginning with the first month of ineligibility as an employed person with a disability;
(6) a designated employment incentives asset account is disregarded when determining eligibility for
medical assistance for a person age 65 years or older under section 256B.055, subdivision 7. An employment
incentives asset account must only be designated by a person who has been enrolled in medical assistance
under section 256B.057, subdivision 9, for a 24-consecutive-month period. A designated employment
incentives asset account contains qualified assets owned by the person in the last month of enrollment in
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medical assistance under section 256B.057, subdivision 9. Qualified assets include retirement and pension
accounts, medical expense accounts, and up to $17,000 of the person's other nonexcluded liquid assets. An
employment incentives asset account is no longer designated when a person loses medical assistance eligibility
for a calendar month or more before turning age 65. A person who loses medical assistance eligibility before
age 65 can establish a new designated employment incentives asset account by establishing a new
24-consecutive-month period of enrollment under section 256B.057, subdivision 9. Persons eligible under
this clause are not subject to the provisions in section 256B.059; and
(7) effective July 1, 2009, certain assets owned by American Indians are excluded as required by section
5006 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5. For purposes of this
clause, an American Indian is any person who meets the definition of Indian according to Code of Federal
Regulations, title 42, section 447.50.
(b) No asset limit shall apply to persons eligible under sections 256B.055, subdivision 15, and 256B.057,
subdivision 9.
Subd. 3a. [Repealed, 1992 c 513 art 7 s 135]
Subd. 3b. Treatment of trusts. (a) It is the public policy of this state that individuals use all available
resources to pay for the cost of long-term care services, as defined in section 256B.0595, before turning to
Minnesota health care program funds, and that trust instruments should not be permitted to shield available
resources of an individual or an individual's spouse from such use.
(b) A "medical assistance qualifying trust" is a revocable or irrevocable trust, or similar legal device,
established on or before August 10, 1993, by a person or the person's spouse under the terms of which the
person receives or could receive payments from the trust principal or income and the trustee has discretion
in making payments to the person from the trust principal or income. Notwithstanding that definition, a
medical assistance qualifying trust does not include: (1) a trust set up by will; (2) a trust set up before April
7, 1986, solely to benefit a person with a developmental disability living in an intermediate care facility for
persons with developmental disabilities; or (3) a trust set up by a person with payments made by the Social
Security Administration pursuant to the United States Supreme Court decision in Sullivan v. Zebley, 110
S. Ct. 885 (1990). The maximum amount of payments that a trustee of a medical assistance qualifying trust
may make to a person under the terms of the trust is considered to be available assets to the person, without
regard to whether the trustee actually makes the maximum payments to the person and without regard to
the purpose for which the medical assistance qualifying trust was established.
(c) Trusts established after August 10, 1993, are treated according to United States Code, title 42, section
1396p(d).
(d) For purposes of paragraph (e), a pooled trust means a trust established under United States Code,
title 42, section 1396p(d)(4)(C).
(e) A beneficiary's interest in a pooled trust is considered an available asset unless the trust provides
that upon the death of the beneficiary or termination of the trust during the beneficiary's lifetime, whichever
is sooner, the department receives any amount, up to the amount of medical assistance benefits paid on
behalf of the beneficiary, remaining in the beneficiary's trust account after a deduction for reasonable
administrative fees and expenses, and an additional remainder amount. The retained remainder amount of
the subaccount must not exceed ten percent of the account value at the time of the beneficiary's death or
termination of the trust, and must only be used for the benefit of disabled individuals who have a beneficiary
interest in the pooled trust.
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(f) Trusts may be established on or after December 12, 2016, by a person who has been determined to
be disabled, according to United States Code, title 42, section 1396p(d)(4)(A), as amended by section 5007
of the 21st Century Cures Act, Public Law 114-255.
[See Note.]
Subd. 3c. Asset limitations for families and children. (a) A household of two or more persons must
not own more than $20,000 in total net assets, and a household of one person must not own more than
$10,000 in total net assets. In addition to these maximum amounts, an eligible individual or family may
accrue interest on these amounts, but they must be reduced to the maximum at the time of an eligibility
redetermination. The value of assets that are not considered in determining eligibility for medical assistance
for families and children is the value of those assets excluded under the AFDC state plan as of July 16, 1996,
as required by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA),
Public Law 104-193, with the following exceptions:
(1) household goods and personal effects are not considered;
(2) capital and operating assets of a trade or business up to $200,000 are not considered;
(3) one motor vehicle is excluded for each person of legal driving age who is employed or seeking
employment;
(4) assets designated as burial expenses are excluded to the same extent they are excluded by the
Supplemental Security Income program;
(5) court-ordered settlements up to $10,000 are not considered;
(6) individual retirement accounts and funds are not considered;
(7) assets owned by children are not considered; and
(8) certain assets owned by American Indians are excluded as required by section 5006 of the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5. For purposes of this clause, an American Indian
is any person who meets the definition of Indian according to Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section
447.50.
(b) Paragraph (a) applies only to parents and caretaker relatives who qualify for medical assistance under
subdivision 5.
(c) Eligibility for children under age 21 must be determined without regard to the asset limitations
described in paragraphs (a) and (b) and subdivision 3.
Subd. 3d. Reduction of excess assets. Assets in excess of the limits in subdivisions 3 to 3c may be
reduced to allowable limits as follows:
(a) Assets may be reduced in any of the three calendar months before the month of application in which
the applicant seeks coverage by paying bills for health services that are incurred in the retroactive period
for which the applicant seeks eligibility, starting with the oldest bill. After assets are reduced to allowable
limits, eligibility begins with the next dollar of MA-covered health services incurred in the retroactive period.
Applicants reducing assets under this subdivision who also have excess income shall first spend excess
assets to pay health service bills and may meet the income spenddown on remaining bills.
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(b) Assets may be reduced beginning the month of application by paying bills for health services that
are incurred during the period specified in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0090, subpart 2, that would otherwise
be paid by medical assistance. After assets are reduced to allowable limits, eligibility begins with the next
dollar of medical assistance covered health services incurred in the period. Applicants reducing assets under
this subdivision who also have excess income shall first spend excess assets to pay health service bills and
may meet the income spenddown on remaining bills.
[See Note.]
Subd. 3e. Continuing care retirement and life care community entrance fees. An entrance fee paid
by an individual to a continuing care retirement or life care community shall be treated as an available asset
to the extent that:
(1) the individual has the ability to use the entrance fee, or the contract provides that the entrance fee
may be used, to pay for care should other resources or income of the individual be insufficient to pay for
care;
(2) the individual is eligible for a refund of any remaining entrance fees when the individual dies or
terminates the continuing care retirement or life care community contract and leaves the community; and
(3) the entrance fee does not confer an ownership interest in the continuing care retirement or life care
community.
Subd. 4. Income. (a) To be eligible for medical assistance, a person eligible under section 256B.055,
subdivisions 7, 7a, and 12, may have income up to 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Effective
January 1, 2000, and each successive January, recipients of Supplemental Security Income may have an
income up to the Supplemental Security Income standard in effect on that date.
(b) To be eligible for medical assistance under section 256B.055, subdivision 3a, a parent or caretaker
relative may have an income up to 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for the household size.
(c) To be eligible for medical assistance under section 256B.055, subdivision 15, a person may have an
income up to 133 percent of federal poverty guidelines for the household size.
(d) To be eligible for medical assistance under section 256B.055, subdivision 16, a child age 19 to 20
may have an income up to 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for the household size.
(e) To be eligible for medical assistance under section 256B.055, subdivision 3a, a child under age 19
may have income up to 275 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for the household size.
(f) In computing income to determine eligibility of persons under paragraphs (a) to (e) who are not
residents of long-term care facilities, the commissioner shall disregard increases in income as required by
Public Laws 94-566, section 503; 99-272; and 99-509. For persons eligible under paragraph (a), veteran aid
and attendance benefits and Veterans Administration unusual medical expense payments are considered
income to the recipient.
Subd. 4a. Asset verification. For purposes of verification, an individual is not required to make a good
faith effort to sell a life estate that is not excluded under subdivision 2 and the life estate shall be deemed
not salable unless the owner of the remainder interest intends to purchase the life estate, or the owner of the
life estate and the owner of the remainder sell the entire property. This subdivision applies only for the
purpose of determining eligibility for medical assistance, and does not apply to the valuation of assets owned
by either the institutional spouse or the community spouse under section 256B.059, subdivision 2.
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Subd. 4b. Income verification. The local agency shall not require a monthly income verification form
for a recipient who is a resident of a long-term care facility and who has monthly earned income of $80 or
less. The commissioner or county agency shall use electronic verification as the primary method of income
verification. If there is a discrepancy between reported income and electronically verified income, an
individual may be required to submit additional verification.
Subd. 5. Excess income. A person who has excess income is eligible for medical assistance if the person
has expenses for medical care that are more than the amount of the person's excess income, computed by
deducting incurred medical expenses from the excess income to reduce the excess to the income standard
specified in subdivision 5c. The person shall elect to have the medical expenses deducted at the beginning
of a one-month budget period or at the beginning of a six-month budget period. The commissioner shall
allow persons eligible for assistance on a one-month spenddown basis under this subdivision to elect to pay
the monthly spenddown amount in advance of the month of eligibility to the state agency in order to maintain
eligibility on a continuous basis. If the recipient does not pay the spenddown amount on or before the 20th
of the month, the recipient is ineligible for this option for the following month. The local agency shall code
the Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) to indicate that the recipient has elected this option.
The state agency shall convey recipient eligibility information relative to the collection of the spenddown
to providers through the Electronic Verification System (EVS). A recipient electing advance payment must
pay the state agency the monthly spenddown amount on or before the 20th of the month in order to be eligible
for this option in the following month.
Subd. 5a. Individuals on fixed or excluded income. Recipients of medical assistance who receive only
fixed unearned or excluded income, when that income is excluded from consideration as income or unvarying
in amount and timing of receipt throughout the year, shall report and verify their income annually.
Subd. 5b. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 1 s 68]
Subd. 5c. Excess income standard. (a) The excess income standard for parents and caretaker relatives,
pregnant women, infants, and children ages two through 20 is the standard specified in subdivision 4,
paragraph (b).
(b) The excess income standard for a person whose eligibility is based on blindness, disability, or age
of 65 or more years shall equal:
(1) 81 percent of the federal poverty guidelines; and
(2) effective July 1, 2022, the standard specified in subdivision 4, paragraph (a).
Subd. 5d. Medical assistance room and board rate. "Medical assistance room and board rate" means
an amount equal to 81 percent of the federal poverty guideline for a single individual living alone in the
community less the medical assistance personal needs allowance under section 256B.35. The amount of the
room and board rate, as defined in section 256I.03, subdivision 14a, that exceeds the medical assistance
room and board rate is considered a remedial care cost. A remedial care cost may be used to meet a spenddown
obligation under this section. The medical assistance room and board rate is to be adjusted on January 1 of
each year.
Subd. 6. Assignment of benefits. To be eligible for medical assistance a person must have applied or
must agree to apply all proceeds received or receivable by the person or the person's legal representative
from any third party liable for the costs of medical care. By accepting or receiving assistance, the person is
deemed to have assigned the person's rights to medical support and third-party payments as required by title
19 of the Social Security Act. Persons must cooperate with the state in establishing paternity and obtaining
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third-party payments. By accepting medical assistance, a person assigns to the Department of Human Services
all rights the person may have to medical support or payments for medical expenses from any other person
or entity on their own or their dependent's behalf and agrees to cooperate with the state in establishing
paternity and obtaining third-party payments. Any rights or amounts so assigned shall be applied against
the cost of medical care paid for under this chapter. Any assignment takes effect upon the determination
that the applicant is eligible for medical assistance and up to three months prior to the date of application if
the applicant is determined eligible for and receives medical assistance benefits. The application must contain
a statement explaining this assignment. For the purposes of this section, "the Department of Human Services
or the state" includes prepaid health plans under contract with the commissioner according to sections
256B.69 and 256L.12 and Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 256D.03, subdivision 4, paragraph
(c); children's mental health collaboratives under section 245.493; demonstration projects for persons with
disabilities under section 256B.77; nursing facilities under the alternative payment demonstration project
under section 256B.434; and the county-based purchasing entities under section 256B.692.
Subd. 7. Period of eligibility. (a) Eligibility is available for the month of application and for three
months prior to application if the person was eligible in those prior months. A redetermination of eligibility
must occur every 12 months.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary:
(1) a child under 19 years of age who is determined eligible for medical assistance must remain eligible
for a period of 12 months;
(2) a child 19 years of age and older but under 21 years of age who is determined eligible for medical
assistance must remain eligible for a period of 12 months; and
(3) a child under six years of age who is determined eligible for medical assistance must remain eligible
through the month in which the child reaches six years of age.
(c) A child's eligibility under paragraph (b) may be terminated earlier if:
(1) the child or the child's representative requests voluntary termination of eligibility;
(2) the child ceases to be a resident of this state;
(3) the child dies;
(4) the child attains the maximum age; or
(5) the agency determines eligibility was erroneously granted at the most recent eligibility determination
due to agency error or fraud, abuse, or perjury attributed to the child or the child's representative.
(d) For a person eligible for an insurance affordability program as defined in section 256B.02, subdivision
19, who reports a change that makes the person eligible for medical assistance, eligibility is available for
the month the change was reported and for three months prior to the month the change was reported, if the
person was eligible in those prior months.
[See Note.]
Subd. 7a. Periodic renewal of eligibility. (a) The commissioner shall make an annual redetermination
of eligibility based on information contained in the enrollee's case file and other information available to
the agency, including but not limited to information accessed through an electronic database, without requiring
the enrollee to submit any information when sufficient data is available for the agency to renew eligibility.
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(b) If the commissioner cannot renew eligibility in accordance with paragraph (a), the commissioner
must provide the enrollee with a prepopulated renewal form containing eligibility information available to
the agency and permit the enrollee to submit the form with any corrections or additional information to the
agency and sign the renewal form via any of the modes of submission specified in section 256B.04, subdivision
18.
(c) An enrollee who is terminated for failure to complete the renewal process may subsequently submit
the renewal form and required information within four months after the date of termination and have coverage
reinstated without a lapse, if otherwise eligible under this chapter. The local agency may close the enrollee's
case file if the required information is not submitted within four months of termination.
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a person who is eligible under subdivision 5 shall be subject to a
review of the person's income every six months.
Subd. 8. Cooperation. To be eligible for medical assistance, applicants and recipients must cooperate
with the state and local agency to identify potentially liable third-party payers and assist the state in obtaining
third-party payments, unless good cause for noncooperation is determined according to Code of Federal
Regulations, title 42, part 433.147. "Cooperation" includes identifying any third party who may be liable
for care and services provided under this chapter to the applicant, recipient, or any other family member for
whom application is made and providing relevant information to assist the state in pursuing a potentially
liable third party. Cooperation also includes providing information about a group health plan for which the
person may be eligible and if the plan is determined cost-effective by the state agency and premiums are
paid by the local agency or there is no cost to the recipient, they must enroll or remain enrolled with the
group. For purposes of this subdivision, coverage provided by the Minnesota Comprehensive Health
Association under chapter 62E shall not be considered group health plan coverage or cost-effective by the
state and local agency. Cost-effective insurance premiums approved for payment by the state agency and
paid by the local agency are eligible for reimbursement according to section 256B.19.
Subd. 9. Notice. The state agency must be given notice of monetary claims against a person, entity, or
corporation that may be liable to pay all or part of the cost of medical care when the state agency has paid
or becomes liable for the cost of that care. Notice must be given according to paragraphs (a) to (d).
(a) An applicant for medical assistance shall notify the state or local agency of any possible claims when
the applicant submits the application. A recipient of medical assistance shall notify the state or local agency
of any possible claims when those claims arise.
(b) A person providing medical care services to a recipient of medical assistance shall notify the state
agency when the person has reason to believe that a third party may be liable for payment of the cost of
medical care.
(c) A party to a claim that may be assigned to the state agency under this section shall notify the state
agency of its potential assignment claim in writing at each of the following stages of a claim:
(1) when a claim is filed;
(2) when an action is commenced; and
(3) when a claim is concluded by payment, award, judgment, settlement, or otherwise.
(d) Every party involved in any stage of a claim under this subdivision is required to provide notice to
the state agency at that stage of the claim. However, when one of the parties to the claim provides notice at
that stage, every other party to the claim is deemed to have provided the required notice for that stage of the
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claim. If the required notice under this paragraph is not provided to the state agency, all parties to the claim
are deemed to have failed to provide the required notice. A party to the claim includes the injured person or
the person's legal representative, the plaintiff, the defendants, or persons alleged to be responsible for
compensating the injured person or plaintiff, and any other party to the cause of action or claim, regardless
of whether the party knows the state agency has a potential or actual assignment claim.
Subd. 10. Eligibility verification. (a) The commissioner shall require women who are applying for the
continuation of medical assistance coverage following the end of the 12-month postpartum period to update
their income and asset information and to submit any required income or asset verification.
(b) The commissioner shall determine the eligibility of private-sector health care coverage for infants
less than one year of age eligible under section 256B.055, subdivision 10, or 256B.057, subdivision 1,
paragraph (c), and shall pay for private-sector coverage if this is determined to be cost-effective.
(c) The commissioner shall verify assets and income for all applicants, and for all recipients upon renewal.
(d) The commissioner shall utilize information obtained through the electronic service established by
the secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and other available electronic
data sources in Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, sections 435.940 to 435.956, to verify eligibility
requirements. The commissioner shall establish standards to define when information obtained electronically
is reasonably compatible with information provided by applicants and enrollees, including use of
self-attestation, to accomplish real-time eligibility determinations and maintain program integrity.
(e) Each person applying for or receiving medical assistance under section 256B.055, subdivision 7,
and any other person whose resources are required by law to be disclosed to determine the applicant's or
recipient's eligibility must authorize the commissioner to obtain information from financial institutions to
identify unreported accounts as required in section 256.01, subdivision 18f. If a person refuses or revokes
the authorization, the commissioner may determine that the applicant or recipient is ineligible for medical
assistance. For purposes of this paragraph, an authorization to identify unreported accounts meets the
requirements of the Right to Financial Privacy Act, United States Code, title 12, chapter 35, and need not
be furnished to the financial institution.
(f) County and tribal agencies shall comply with the standards established by the commissioner for
appropriate use of the asset verification system specified in section 256.01, subdivision 18f.
Subd. 11. Treatment of annuities. (a) Any person requesting medical assistance payment of long-term
care services shall provide a complete description of any interest either the person or the person's spouse
has in annuities on a form designated by the department. The form shall include a statement that the state
becomes a preferred remainder beneficiary of annuities or similar financial instruments by virtue of the
receipt of medical assistance payment of long-term care services. The person and the person's spouse shall
furnish the agency responsible for determining eligibility with complete current copies of their annuities
and related documents and complete the form designating the state as the preferred remainder beneficiary
for each annuity in which the person or the person's spouse has an interest.
(b) The department shall provide notice to the issuer of the department's right under this section as a
preferred remainder beneficiary under the annuity or similar financial instrument for medical assistance
furnished to the person or the person's spouse, and provide notice of the issuer's responsibilities as provided
in paragraph (c).
(c) An issuer of an annuity or similar financial instrument who receives notice of the state's right to be
named a preferred remainder beneficiary as described in paragraph (b) shall provide confirmation to the
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requesting agency that the state has been made a preferred remainder beneficiary. The issuer shall also notify
the county agency when a change in the amount of income or principal being withdrawn from the annuity
or other similar financial instrument or a change in the state's preferred remainder beneficiary designation
under the annuity or other similar financial instrument occurs. The county agency shall provide the issuer
with the name, address, and telephone number of a unit within the department that the issuer can contact to
comply with this paragraph.
(d) "Preferred remainder beneficiary" for purposes of this subdivision and sections 256B.0594 and
256B.0595 means the state is a remainder beneficiary in the first position in an amount equal to the amount
of medical assistance paid on behalf of the institutionalized person, or is a remainder beneficiary in the
second position if the institutionalized person designates and is survived by a remainder beneficiary who is
(1) a spouse who does not reside in a medical institution, (2) a minor child, or (3) a child of any age who is
blind or permanently and totally disabled as defined in the Supplemental Security Income program.
Notwithstanding this paragraph, the state is the remainder beneficiary in the first position if the spouse or
child disposes of the remainder for less than fair market value.
(e) For purposes of this subdivision, "institutionalized person" and "long-term care services" have the
meanings given in section 256B.0595, subdivision 1, paragraph (f).
(f) For purposes of this subdivision, "medical institution" means a skilled nursing facility, intermediate
care facility, intermediate care facility for persons with developmental disabilities, nursing facility, or
inpatient hospital.
History: Ex1967 c 16 s 6; 1969 c 841 s 1; 1973 c 717 s 18; 1974 c 525 s 1,2; 1975 c 247 s 10; 1976 c
236 s 3; 1977 c 448 s 6; 1978 c 760 s 1; 1979 c 309 s 4; 1980 c 509 s 106; 1980 c 527 s 1; 1981 c 360 art
2 s 28; 1Sp1981 c 2 s 14; 3Sp1981 c 2 art 1 s 32; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 17; 1982 c 553 s 6; 1982 c 640 s 5; 1983
c 312 art 5 s 15; 1984 c 422 s 1; 1984 c 534 s 22; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1985 c 248 s 70; 1985 c 252 s 21;
1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 1 art 8 s 5; 1987 c 403 art 2 s 79,80; 1988 c 689 art 2 s 144,145,268; 1989 c 282
art 3 s 45-47; 1989 c 332 s 1; 1990 c 568 art 3 s 28-32; 1992 c 513 art 7 s 34-38; 1993 c 339 s 13; 1Sp1993
c 1 art 5 s 31; art 6 s 25; 1995 c 207 art 6 s 28,29; 1995 c 248 art 17 s 1-4; 1996 c 451 art 2 s 8,9; 1997 c
85 art 3 s 13-15; 1997 c 203 art 4 s 20,21; 1997 c 225 art 6 s 4; 1998 c 407 art 4 s 15,16; 1999 c 245 art
4 s 32; art 10 s 10; 2001 c 203 s 5,6; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 2 s 16-24; 2002 c 220 art 15 s 6; 2002 c 379 art 1 s
113; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 2 s 16; art 12 s 16-18; 2004 c 228 art 1 s 75; 2005 c 56 s 1; 2005 c 98 art 2 s 2;
1Sp2005 c 4 art 8 s 20-26; 2006 c 282 art 17 s 25-27; 2007 c 147 art 4 s 4; art 5 s 8; 2008 c 326 art 1 s
9-12; 2009 c 79 art 5 s 17,18; 2009 c 173 art 1 s 17; art 3 s 6-8; 2010 c 310 art 16 s 1; 1Sp2010 c 1 art 16
s 6,7,48; art 24 s 9,10,13; 1Sp2011 c 9 at 6 s 84,85,88; art 7 s 6; 2012 c 216 art 13 s 3,4; 2012 c 247 art 4
s 15,16; 2013 c 1 s 3-5; 2013 c 63 s 5; 2013 c 107 art 4 s 6; 2013 c 108 art 1 s 14-20; 2015 c 71 art 7 s 27;
2016 c 158 art 2 s 84; 2017 c 59 s 8; 1Sp2017 c 6 art 4 s 18-20; 1Sp2019 c 9 art 7 s 19-22; 2020 c 115 art
3 s 16-20; 1Sp2020 c 2 art 2 s 11; 1Sp2021 c 7 art 1 s 5; 2022 c 98 art 2 s 5-7; 2023 c 61 art 3 s 3; 2023 c
70 art 16 s 11; art 17 s 41,62
NOTE: The amendment to subdivision 3b by Laws 2009, chapter 173, article 1, section 17, is effective
for pooled trust accounts established on or after January 1, 2014. Laws 2009, chapter 173, article 1, section
17, the effective date, as amended by Laws 2010, First Special Session chapter 1, article 24, section 13; and
Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 9, article 6, section 88.
NOTE: The amendment to subdivision 3d by Laws 2009, chapter 79, article 5, section 18, is effective
January 1, 2014, or upon the date it is no longer subject to the maintenance of effort requirement in Public
Law 111-148. The commissioner of human services shall notify the revisor of statutes when federal approval
is obtained. Laws 2009, chapter 79, article 5, section 18, the effective date, as amended by Laws 2010, First
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Special Session chapter 1, article 24, section 10; and Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 9, article 6,
section 85.
NOTE: The amendment to subdivision 7 by Laws 2023, chapter 70, article 16, section 11, is effective
January 1, 2025, or upon federal approval, whichever is later, except that paragraph (b), clause (1), is effective
upon federal approval and the implementation of required administrative and systems changes. The
commissioner of human services shall notify the revisor of statutes when federal approval is obtained and
the required administrative and systems changes are implemented. Laws 2023, chapter 70, article 16, section
11, the effective date.
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