Section 80. Financial participation

Part V. Financial Participation

A. The Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired has elected to uniformly apply a financial needs assessment for persons receiving purchased rehabilitation teaching services and goods in the Commonwealth. Purchased services and goods may be provided at no cost to the recipient who is legally blind if the family's income is less than 100% of the federally estimated median income for Virginia, and if the family's assets are less than 50% of the federally estimated median income as determined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Family Support Administration. The Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired will change its financial participation levels to match the above-referenced estimated median income level every third year.

B. There is no financial participation required for the assessment, counseling, low vision exams, information and referral, and instructional services provided through the rehabilitation teaching services program.

C. Consumers must be both legally blind and demonstrate financial need as determined by the financial needs assessment in order to receive any purchased services or goods other than a low vision exam.

D. Allowable deductions from income.

1. Expenses that may be deducted from family income on the financial needs assessment are unusual medical expenses and the education of a consumer or family member to attend a private or public educational facility. Medical expenses such as routine doctors' visits and hospital insurance premiums may not be deducted.

2. When the consumer's gross family income, liquid assets, or both, exceed the financial eligibility requirement after allowable deductions have been considered, the consumer and his family are required to apply the excess toward the cost of those services provided by rehabilitation teaching services for which financial need is considered.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR670-03-3 § 5.1, eff. August 3, 1988; amended, Volume 06, Issue 11, eff. March 28, 1990; Volume 18, Issue 11, eff. March 13, 2002.

Statutory Authority

§ 51.5-65 of the Code of Virginia.