Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009 codifies a variety of core medical and support services provided to eligible people with HIV. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) directly administers Ryan White program services for eligible people with HIV under Program HH.

Program HH provides access to crucial medications and care services for people with HIV in Minnesota. It includes:

People who want to enroll in Program HH must complete an application. After enrollment, they must recertify their eligibility annually during their birthday month. All people who use Program HH are required to report changes to their income, household size, address and insurance status to Program HH staff within 10 business days.

At least every six months, Program HH staff will use the information about changes to eligibility or insurance reported by the person or their provider or obtained through regular insurance record matches (using internal systems) to complete a required insurance assessment. Program HH staff may need to reach out to a person who uses Program HH to obtain more information to complete the insurance assessment.

People who want to enroll in Program HH can find information about how to apply on DHS – Minnesota HIV/AIDS programs. The page provides information about what forms to submit, depending on the person’s circumstances.

People who want to enroll also must submit supporting documents to verify their income, as outlined on Program HH Policy Manual – Eligibility requirements. Program HH staff cannot approve a person’s application until they have submitted all required items.

Program HH will pay the insurance premiums for people eligible for Insurance Premium Assistance (refer to Program HH Policy Manual – IPA). A person cannot request payment for insurance premiums without assessment and approval of IPA by Program HH staff. If eligible, a person may also be eligible for medication benefits with Program HH while awaiting a decision on applications for insurance coverage.

If a person is uninsured or does not have access to employer-sponsored insurance, they may be required to apply to MNsure to determine the appropriate insurance coverage. MNsure determines eligibility for Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare and qualified health plans. For more information, refer to MNsure – New customers.

If a person meets eligibility requirements for Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD), they can apply for MA-EPD through the county/tribal nation in which they live. For more information, refer to CBSM – MA-EPD.

If a person is eligible for Medicare and not enrolled in creditable drug coverage, they should enroll in creditable drug coverage when they next qualify for enrollment. Depending on the person’s income level, Program HH might also refer them to apply for Medicaid and/or Social Security Administration Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs program.

If a person is employed or has a spouse who is employed, they may be required to complete Ryan White Verification of Employer Insurance, DHS-3539C (PDF). Failure to do so may result in ineligibility for IPA. A person enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance must provide copies of their insurance cards, including additional medication and dental coverage. A person who does not enroll into their employer-sponsored insurance that is considered cost effective by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and/or Program HH standards is not eligible for IPA, but they may still be eligible for other Program HH benefits.

If Program HH approves the person’s application, the effective date of Program HH coverage will be the first day of the calendar month Program HH staff received the application. Program HH staff will consider backdating medication coverage on a case-by-case basis if the person submits the request at the same time as the application and there is a compelling reason to do so. Program HH staff will not backdate an application by more than 90 days.

People who use Program HH must recertify annually during their birthday month to maintain eligibility by following instructions on DHS – Minnesota HIV/AIDS programs. The page provides information about what forms to submit, depending on the person’s circumstances.

People who are recertifying also must submit supporting documents to verify their eligibility, (i.e., income, household size, and address) and insurance status, as outlined on Program HH Policy Manual – Eligibility requirements.

Note: An employed person recertifying for Program HH may be required to complete Ryan White Verification of Employer Insurance, DHS-3539C (PDF) annually or when they have a change in employment.

People who use Program HH must report changes to their income, household size, address and insurance status to Program HH staff within 10 business days using forms listed on DHS – Minnesota HIV/AIDS programs. The page provides information about what forms to submit, depending on the person’s circumstances.

People can also call Program HH at 651-431-2398 or email dhs.programhh@state.mn.us to report changes to their eligibility.

Note: If a person who uses Program HH is reporting new employment, they are required to complete Ryan White Verification of Employer Insurance, DHS-3539C (PDF) (especially if they do not submit insurance cards with the change report).