ELDERLY/DISABLED HOUSEHOLDS

Transcription

1 ELDERLY/DISABLED HOUSEHOLDS IN ELDERLY/DISABLED HOUSEHOLDS IN THE CALFRESH PROGRAM

2 Program Overview National eligibility standards and benefit levels e are established s ed by Congress and administered nationally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is the designated single state agency responsible for program supervision at the state level with county administration of the program.

3 Program Overview To participate in CalFresh, households (HHs) must meet certain income eligibility standards. AHHis a group of individuals who purchase and prepare (P&P) meals together. An elderly/disabled (E/D) HH is any HH that includes at least one elderly (60 or older) or disabled individual.

4 Gross and Net Income To be eligible, most HHs must pass gross and net income tests. A HH s gross income cannot exceed 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The gross income test is waived for E/D HHs. Net income cannot exceed 100% of the FPL for all households.

5 Gross and Net Income Elderly and disabled individuals, and their spouse, that P&P with others can apply for separate household status. The income of the other HH members (excluding the elderly and disabled person and their spouse) cannot exceed 165% of FPL.

6 Certification Period E/D HHs in which all adult members are elderly or disabled may be certified for up to 24 months. E/D HHs in which all adults are not elderly or disabled may be certified up to 12 months. HHs must be assigned the longest certification period possible based on the predictability of the household'ss circumstances.

7 Medical Expenses E/D HHs are allowed to claim medical expenses (any amount in excess of $35 per month) as a deduction to HH income, which results in an increase to the HH s benefits. The CWD is required to assist applicants in securing verification.

8 Medical Expenses Acceptable verification is documentary evidence or collateral contact. Self-certification is not allowed. The HH must provide verification of the expense. If the expense cannot be verified, the deduction must be disallowed. Failure to verify medical expenses is not a basis for denying or discontinuing a case.

9 Medical Expenses Allowable medical expenses must be for the month of application or reasonably anticipated expenses during the certification period. HHs may elect to have fluctuating expenses averaged. HHs may elect to have expenses which are billed less often than monthly averaged forward over the interval between scheduled billings.

10 Medical Expenses If there is no scheduled interval, expenses may be averaged forward over the period the expense is intended to cover. For example, if a household receives a single bill in February which covers a 3-month supply of a prescription, the bill may be averaged over February, March, and April. The HH may elect to have one-time only expenses averaged over the entire certification period or remaining months.

11 Medical Expenses Allowable expenses include: Medical or dental care Medicare Premiums (Medi-Cal share of Hospitalization/outpatient costs, etc.) treatment/ nursing care Dentures, hearing aids and prosthetics Prescribed drugs Maintaining an attendant necessary Health and Hospitalization insurance policy premiums Cost of transportation (mileage or fee) and lodging to obtain medical treatment or services. Prescribed eye glasses and contact lenses due to age, illness, or infirmity. The number and cost of meals furnished to an attendant Prescribed medical supplies and equipment Service animals expenses (food, vet bills, etc.)

12 Modified Categorical Eligibility Resource limit for E/D HHs is $3250. FNS allows states to confer Broad-Based B d Categorical Eligibility (Modified Categorical Eligibility [MCE] in California) via a non-cash TANF-funded service if the HH s total gross income does not exceed 200% of the FPL. If MCE is conferred, and the HH meets all other conditions of CalFresh eligibility, the resource limit is waived.

13 Modified Categorical Eligibility Currently, in California, to be eligible for the TANF-funded service (PUB 275 Family Planning Brochure) the HH s total gross income cannot exceed 130% of the FPL. CDSS is proposing to increase the gross income limit for the PUB 275 to 200% of FPL for E/D HHs.

14 Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) The RMP enables homeless, disabled and elderly households to use benefits to purchase meals at participating restaurants. Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, and Tuolumne counties have implemented the RMP.

15 RMP California is one of only four states in the nation that provides counties the option to operate a Restaurant Meals Program. The eight participating counties contain over 47% of the state s CalFresh caseload. Los Angeles county alone has over 1,200 restaurants participating.

16 E/D Recertification Interview Waiver CDSS received approval of a federal waiver request to waive the recertification interview i for Non-Assistance CalFresh households in which: 1. all adult household members are elderly or disabled; 2. there is no earned income; and 3. there is no questionable information included in the recertification application.

17 Questions?