Section 740. Eligibility requirements

A. This section shall be used to determine eligibility of pregnant women for FAMIS MOMS.

B. FAMIS MOMS shall be in effect statewide.

C. Eligible pregnant women must:

1. Be determined ineligible for Medicaid due to excess income by a local department of social services or by DMAS eligibility staff co-located at the FAMIS CPU;

2. Be a pregnant woman at the time of application;

3. Be a resident of the Commonwealth;

4. Be either a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or a qualified noncitizen;

5. Be uninsured, that is, not have comprehensive health insurance coverage;

6. Not be a member of a family eligible for subsidized dependent coverage, as defined in 42 CFR 457.310(c)(1)(ii) under any Virginia state employee health insurance plan on the basis of the family member's employment with a state agency; and

7. Not be an inpatient in an institution for mental diseases (IMD), or an inmate in a public institution that is not a medical facility.

D. Income.

1. Screening. All applications for FAMIS MOMS coverage received at the FAMIS central processing unit must be screened to identify applicants who are potentially eligible for Medicaid. Pregnant women screened and found potentially eligible for Medicaid cannot be enrolled in FAMIS MOMS until there has been a finding of ineligibility for Medicaid. Pregnant women who do not appear to be eligible for Medicaid due to excess income shall have their eligibility for FAMIS MOMS determined and, if eligible, will be enrolled in the FAMIS MOMS program. Applications for FAMIS MOMS received at a local department of social services shall have a full Medicaid eligibility determination completed. Pregnant women determined to be ineligible for Medicaid due to excess income will have their eligibility for FAMIS MOMS determined and, if eligible, the local department of social services will enroll the pregnant woman in the FAMIS MOMS program.

2. Standards. Income standards for FAMIS MOMS are based on a comparison of countable income to 200% of the federal poverty level for the family size. Countable income and family size are based on the methodology utilized by the Medicaid program as defined in 12VAC30-40-100 e. Pregnant women who have income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, but are ineligible for Medicaid due to excess income, will be income eligible to participate in FAMIS MOMS.

3. Spenddown. Deduction of incurred medical expenses from countable income (spenddown) shall not apply in FAMIS MOMS. If the family income exceeds the income limits described in this section, the individual shall be ineligible for FAMIS MOMS regardless of the amount of any incurred medical expenses.

E. Residency. The requirements for residency, as set forth in 42 CFR 435.403, will be used when determining whether a pregnant woman is a resident of Virginia for purposes of eligibility for FAMIS MOMS. A child who is not emancipated and is temporarily living away from home is considered living with her parents, adult relative caretaker, legal guardian, or person having legal custody if the absence is temporary and the child intends to return to the home when the purpose of the absence (such as education, medical care, rehabilitation, vacation, visit) is completed.

F. U.S. citizenship or nationality. Upon signing the declaration of citizenship or nationality required by § 1137(d) of the Social Security Act, the applicant or recipient is required under § 2105(c)(9) to furnish satisfactory documentary evidence of U.S. citizenship or nationality and documentation of personal identify unless citizenship or nationality has been verified by the Commissioner of Social Security or unless otherwise exempt.

G. Qualified noncitizen. The requirements for qualified aliens set out in Public Law 104-193, as amended, and the requirements for noncitizens set out in subdivisions 3 b, c, and e of 12VAC30-40-10 will be used when determining whether a pregnant woman is a qualified noncitizen for purposes of FAMIS MOMS eligibility.

H. Coverage under other health plans.

1. Any pregnant woman covered under a group health plan or under health insurance coverage, as defined in § 2791 of the Public Health Services Act (42 USC § 300gg-91(a) and (b)(1)), shall not be eligible for FAMIS MOMS.

2. No substitution for private insurance.

a. Only uninsured pregnant women shall be eligible for FAMIS MOMS. A pregnant woman is not considered to be insured if the health insurance plan covering the pregnant woman does not have a network of providers in the area where the pregnant woman resides. Each application for FAMIS MOMS coverage shall include an inquiry about health insurance the pregnant woman has at the time of application.

b. Health insurance does not include Medicare, Medicaid, FAMIS or insurance for which DMAS paid premiums under Title XIX through the Health Insurance Premium Payment (HIPP) Program or under Title XXI through the SCHIP premium assistance program.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 23, Issue 07, eff. January 10, 2007; amended, Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 19, eff. July 1, 2007; Volume 25, Issue 19, eff. July 1, 2009; Volume 26, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2010; Volume 29, Issue 21, eff. July 17, 2013.

Statutory Authority

§ 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia.