MR #23.17: Integration of the Asset Verification System (AVS)

Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Logo

Illinois Department of Human Services Logo

05/04/2023

This Manual Release supplements MR #19.09: Asset Verification System

Summary:

  • The Asset Verification System (AVS) is integrated with IES. IES will now systematically trigger an AVS search, reducing the need for caseworkers to manually search the AVS Web Portal. This manual release provides guidance on when those systematic searches occur and what staff should do with the results.
  • An AVS search is triggered during application registration and case change for AVS Types of Assistance (TOAs) at the end of each business day.
  • An AVS search is triggered as part of the redetermination process.
  • The system will not trigger a new AVS search when prior search results exist from the past 60 days.
  • IES inserts a case comment each time an AVS search is initiated.
  • IES creates an AVS task when accounts are located and verified.
  • Real Property results are included with the AVS verification.
  • This manual release provides guidance for the issuing of a VCL based on an AVS search result.
  • The AVS Web Portal remains available for AdHoc Inquiries and for the Direct Account Search feature.
  • Definitions related to the integration of AVS are included in this manual release. 
  1. IES Updates
    1. AVS Search Request
    2. Redetermination and Program Transition
    3. Case Comment
    4. AVS Report
    5. Real Property
    6. Document/Task Title
    7. Verification Checklist (VCL)
  2. AVS Web Portal
  3. Definitions
  4. MANUAL REVISIONS

The Asset Verification System (AVS) electronically searches Financial Institutions (FIs) across the United States for resources and resource transfers for Illinois Medicaid Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled (AABD) Community or Long-Term Care (LTC) customers. AVS responses provide up to 60 months of account balances, account ownership, earned interest, account open/closed dates, account types and the Financial Institution where the account(s) are located.

AVS also provides real property data for AABD Medical Community and Long-Term Care (LTC) customers. AVS property responses provide up to 60 months of property ownership, address(es) of property, assessed and market values, purchase date, and purchase price. AVS will also include the address(es), sale dates, ownership and type of deed associated with the sale of any properties within the last 60 months.

Effective 04/03/2023, the AVS system is integrated into IES. The integration of AVS expedites the processing of AABD Medical/LTC applications, Eligibility Determination Groups (EDGs) transitioning to an AVS relevant TOA, member/program adds, and redeterminations by automating the verification of assets. IES provides a detailed report of the AVS results in the Electronic Case Record (ECR). The Form A/B redetermination process incorporates an AVS search as well.

IES Updates

AVS Search Request

 AVS searches are triggered for all applicable TOAs during the following actions:

  • Application,
  • Program Add,
  • Member Add,
  • Redetermination, and
  • Program Transition.

An AVS search is triggered every time eligibility is run for AVS TOAs for the above actions (See PM 02-07-03-n for AVS TOAs that require an AVS search). Review the ECR and case comments for recent AVS results. The integration of AVS into IES reduces the need for staff to manually conduct individual AVS searches using the AVS web portal.

IES will not systematically search AVS again if a previous search occurred within the past 60 days.

IES will not trigger a systematic AVS search if the customer does not provide a SSN. Casework staff must use the AVS Web Portal to do an ad hoc inquiry in this situation.

Additional Instructions for Processing Applications:

  • A caseworker should not wait for AVS results to approve an application if the customer has provided all other required verifications.
  • If AVS provides asset results for the customer and/or their spouse after the application has been approved, the caseworker should review the report and make appropriate changes prospectively. Refer to the verification checklist below for additional guidance.

Redetermination and Program Transition

IES considers AVS search results in the redetermination Form A/B process (See PM 19-02-04). An AVS search that verifies resources are under the limit for the TOA satisfies the resource check and will allow the case to be automatically redetermined with Form A if all other eligibility criteria are met. An AVS search that verifies resources are over the limit for the TOA will result in the customer receiving Form B to complete and return. A report containing the results is placed in the ECR for staff to review.

Caseworkers must review resources for customers who turn 65 years of age before or during the month they go through the redetermination process.

Case Comment

IES systematically inserts the following case comment when it initiates an AVS search:

AVS Request has been submitted for Individuals - First/Last Name. Results will be available in the ECR after 10/30 calendar days.

Review the case comments section to view the date of the most recent AVS request. Compare the date of the case comment with the Received Date of the Document/Task in the EDM Inbox.

AVS Report

The AVS process includes sending requests to all national banks and pre-selected local and regional banks. Results for the head of household and their spouse are added together and the total amount of verified resources are compared to the resource limit for the assigned TOA. Results for the head of household and/or their spouse are not included with resources for 'other' individuals listed on the case. Results for 'other' individuals are included in their own section of the AVS report. The AVS report is placed in the ECR. The AVS report also identifies completed searches that did not identify any accounts. AVS search results are provided in a report format and contain the following eligibility factors for liquid resources:

  • Name of FI;
  • FI address;
  • Type of Resource;
  • Account owner(s);
  • Individual or joint account;
  • Month and year;
  • Monthly balance; and
  • Date received.

Note: An indicator for either over or under the resource limit assigned to the customer's TOA will be displayed on the AVS Report.

FIs have 30 days to provide verification of resources in response to an AVS request. IES places the results in the ECR in two separate files.

  • The first file contains records for days 1-10 and is placed in the ECR on the 11th day (or the following business day if the 11th day falls on a weekend or holiday). This file is used to determine eligibility at application and in the Form A/B redetermination process.
  • The second file consist of records for days 11-30 and is placed in the ECR on the 31st day (or the following business day if the 31st day falls on a weekend or holiday). Caseworkers will need to review both reports as the second file contains information that is not included with the first report. This file is used in determining ongoing eligibility.

See AVS Report and Document/Task for an example.

Real Property

AVS provides real property data for Illinois Medicaid Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled (AABD) Community and Long-Term Care (LTC) clients. Real Property results are displayed on the AVS Report and include verification of up to 60 months of property ownership, address(es) of property, assessed and market values, date property transferred ownership, and purchase price. AVS also includes the sale dates, ownership and type of deed associated with the sale of any properties within the last 60 months.

AVS search results contain the following eligibility factors for real property:

  • Address of property;
  • Date of transfer;
  • Value of property;
  • Sale price; and
  • Owner name.

Document/Task Title

IES systematically creates an 'AVS Search Results (with date)' task when the AVS search finds accounts. IES adds a record to the AVS Report in the ECR without creating a task if AVS does not locate and verify an account during the search. Select the AVS Document/Task  to review the AVS Report. To complete the task, review the AVS report to determine if any follow up with the customer is needed (See the Verification Checklist (VCL) section for further details).

AVS Results Document Title Tasks Queue Report Added to the ECR
No Accounts Found  AVS Search Results Days 1-10 No Task NA Yes
No Accounts Found AVS Search Results Days 11-30 No Task NA Yes
Accounts Found AVS Search Results Days 1-10 AVS Search Results Days 1-10 (with date) Changes/Miscellaneous Queue Yes
Accounts Found AVS Search Results Days 11-30 AVS Search Results Days 11-30 (with date) Changes/Miscellaneous Queue Yes

Note: Task are not created during the redetermination process.

Verification Checklist (VCL)

Staff should compare accounts found by the AVS search with what the customer reported to determine if the caseworker needs to send a VCL.

  • If the AVS results match the amount the customer reported, no further action required; or
  • If the AVS results do not match the amount the customer reported, follow the procedures listed in the table below:
Client Statement: AVS Results: Action

Declares Resources Under the Limit,

Including 0

 Over Resource Limit Send a VCL
Declares Resources Over the Resource Limit Over Resource Limit Use AVS Results

Declares Resources Under the Resource Limit,

Including 0

 Under Resource Limit Use AVS Results
Does not Declare Over Resource Limit Send a VCL
Does not Declare Under Resource Limit Use AVS Results

Declared Resource(s)

Over or Under the Resource Limit

 Nothing Found Send a VCL
Does not Declare Nothing Found No VCL Needed

AVS Web Portal

The integration of AVS with IES has replaced the need for caseworkers to visit the web portal to initiate AVS searches. The AVS Web Portal remains available for Direct Account searches and for specific case needs such as when a VCL is returned with a SSN, or for months that were not included in the initial AVS request that are required to make an eligibility determination. 

Note: Check IES for an AVS related case comment and the ECR for an AVS Report prior to requesting a search in the web portal.

See WAG 02-07-03-n Asset Verification System (AVS) for how to create a Direct Account Search.

Definitions

Term: Definition
AdHoc Inquiries single AVS search request performed manually in the AVS Web Portal.
Current Owner the owner of a liquid resource or real property.
Deed an instrument that conveys ownership of real property.
Direct Account Search a feature in the AVS Portal that allows the entry of an individual FI to locate and verify accounts not included in the IES initiated search.
Electronic Case Record (ECR) a collection of all electronic files attached to a case in IES.
Other Individuals individuals listed on a case other than the Head of Household and/or their spouse that have been assigned an AVS TOA.
Previous Owner an individual that owned a liquid resource or real property in a lookback period.

MANUAL REVISIONS

PM 02-07-01

PM 02-07-03-n

PM 07-02-04

PM 07-04-01-d New

WAG 02-07-01

WAG 02-07-03-n

WAG 07-04-01-d New

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services 

Theresa Eagleson

Director, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services