04/02/2020
Policy Memo
Summary:
Due to the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, effective immediately self-attestation will be accepted for all new and pending medical applications for select eligibility criteria factors. This will ensure applications are quickly approved and most do not pend for verifications. Additionally, there will be no resource test for medical applications during the COVID-19 emergency.
Effective immediately:
Self-attestation will be accepted for all new and pending Medical applications for the following criteria when electronic verification is not available:
- Income
- Illinois residency
- Insured status
- Incurred medical expenses - self-attestation of incurred medical expenses may by used for active cases to meet spenddown as well as for pending and new applications.
Until system changes can be completed, it is necessary to use existing values in IES that will allow approval of medical. SNAP and Cash will not allow the use of self-attestation. Following is guidance regarding use of the verification value to use when accepting self-attestation for each of these criteria. A case comment indicating that self-attestation was accepted and for which criteria should be completed - include in the case comment, "Due to the COVID-19 emergency declaration, self-attestation was accepted for (insert criteria)".
When electronic verification is not available and no verification was provided with the application, use the information provided on the application and select the following verification value.
- Earned Income - use AWVS as the verification value. This will pend other benefits but will allow medical to be approved.
- Unearned Income - Select Other Acceptable. IMPORTANT: This verification value is acceptable for all benefits. If self-attestation is being accepted for anyone requesting SNAP or Cash - run eligibility - ONLY certify the medical benefits, then return to Data Collection and update the value to client statement and run eligibility again to pend and send the VCL.
- Self-Employment - Select Other Acceptable.
- Incurred medical expenses - Select Medical Only for Program in the TOA dropdown
- Illinois Residency - Select Other Acceptable. IMPORTANT: This verification value is acceptable for all benefits. If self-attestation is being accepted for anyone requesting SNAP or Cash - run eligibility - ONLY certify the medical benefits, then return to Data Collection and update the value to client statement and run eligibility again to pend and send the VCL.
- Insured Status - Select Other acceptable
NOTE: Accept the client statement of income if the client statement is lower than the amount from the electronic source, and the income amount is likely reduced due to the national health emergency (for example: restaurants, theaters, travel, hotels, etc.). Enter a case comment in this situation.
Resource Test Temporarily Removed
- Assets are disregarded at this time due to the COVID Emergency Declaration
- If an individual has resources:
- Do not enter the record in IES.
- Enter case comment stating "Assets are disregarded at this time due to the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration".
A VCL is still required when:
- Income questions are left blank on the application;
- Income is indicated on the application but no verification is provided, no electronic verification is found and no amount is declared
- The difference between the reported income is less than the applicable medical program standard and the electronic verification obtained is more than the applicable medical program standard and the difference is not within the reasonable compatibility limit.
[Signed copy on file]
Grace B Hou
Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
Theresa Eagleson
Director, Healthcare and Family Services
