MSA ASSISTANCE STANDARDS
ISSUE DATE: 01/2017
MFIP, DWP, SNAP, GA, GRH:
No provisions.
MSA:
MSA has assistance standards whose use depends upon the applicant or participant’s circumstances. Which assistance standard you use is determined by:
● | The SSI Federal Benefit Rate (FBR) upon which the client's SSI grant is based. See 0029.06.03 (Supplemental Security Income Program). |
● | Whether a person is eligible for MA home and community based waivers (MA waivers), including Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI), Elderly Waiver (EW), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Community Alternative Care for Chronically Ill Individuals (CAC), and Home and Community Based Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (DD). See the Minnesota Health Care Programs Eligibility Policy Manual for information on these programs. A person who is eligible for an MA home and community based waiver is considered to be living alone. Apply the appropriate “living alone” assistance standard when determining eligibility. See below for the living alone assistance standard. |
● | Whether a person meets the county plan requirements for GRH placement (GRH plan) though not actually living in a GRH. |
● | Whether a person is eligible for the housing special need. See 0023.24 (MSA Housing Assistance). A person who is eligible for MSA Housing Assistance is always considered to be living alone. Apply the appropriate “living alone” assistance standard when determining eligibility. |
● | A client's marital status. |
● | A client's living arrangement. |
A county may set its own standards at a higher level than the State Standards, but there is no State aid for the extra costs.
The term “living with others” applies to anybody who is living with others, regardless of financial arrangements or relationship. MSA clients are considered to be in a "shared household” living situation if they live with another person(s) and they do not have separate, self-contained living quarters with a separate entrance. Self-contained living quarters consists of the client’s own bedroom, living room and kitchen. A person in a “shared household” may or may not be receiving the reduced SSI standard (FBR) due to In-kind Support and Maintenance (ISM).
If a client lives with others, the living with others (shared) MSA standard will be applied unless he/she is eligible for MA home and community based waiver, meets the county plan requirements for GRH, or is eligible for the MSA Housing Assistance (shelter need) special need. If the client is receiving an MA home and community based waiver, meets the county plan requirements for GRH, or is eligible for MSA Housing Assistance, the living alone assistance standard must be applied.
MSA COMMUNITY STANDARDS
The standard for MSA applicants and participants who live independently in the community is the total of the client's MSA assistance standard and any ongoing special needs allowances. See 0023.12 (Special Diets), 0023.15 (Guardian or Conservator Fees), 0023.18 (Restaurant Meals), 0023.24 (MSA Housing Assistance). If a married couple lives together and both partners are applying and have an MSA basis of eligibility, combine their incomes to determine eligibility and benefit level. Use the highest appropriate standard.
MSA MONTHLY ASSISTANCE STANDARDS | |
Person living alone (or some people with ineligible spouses or eligible for MA waivers, GRH plan, or a shelter special need) |
|
Person living with others (or some people with ineligible spouses) | $582.66 |
Married couple living alone | $1,194.00 |
Married couple living with others | $799.34 |
Married couple living alone (pre-1994) | $1,209.00 |
Married couple living with others (pre-1994). (See explanations below.) | $1,062.34 |
APPLY THE $796 LIVING ALONE STANDARD WHEN: |
● | A single person receives SSI benefits based on the $735 FBR and lives alone. |
● | A single person does NOT receive SSI solely due to excess income and lives alone. |
● | A single person lives with others and is eligible for MA waivers, a GRH plan, or a shelter special need. |
● | A single person at the SSI $735 FBR due to a presidential disaster declaration and/or being homeless. |
● | A married person lives with his or her ineligible spouse and receives SSI benefits based on the $735 FBR or does not receive SSI due to excess income. |
● | A married person lives with an ineligible spouse and receives SSI benefits based on the $490 FBR and is eligible for MA Waivers, a GRH plan, or a shelter special need. |
APPLY THE $582.66 LIVING WITH OTHERS STANDARD WHEN: |
● | A person receives SSI benefits based on the $490 SSI FBR, and is not eligible for MA waivers, a GRH plan or a shelter special need. |
● | A person does NOT receive SSI solely due to excess income, and lives with others (including minor children but excluding spouse), and is NOT eligible for MA waivers, a GRH plan, or a shelter special need. |
● | A person at the SSI $735 FBR and lives with others (including minor children). Do not apply this standard to a person living only with a spouse ineligible for MSA (see "Apply the $796 living alone standard when:" above.) |
● | A married person lives with his or her ineligible spouse and receives SSI benefits based on the $490 FBR, and is NOT eligible for MA waivers, a GRH plan, or a shelter special need. |
APPLY THE $1,194 (OR $1,209 PRE-1994) STANDARD FOR A MARRIED COUPLE LIVING TOGETHER WHEN: |
● | Couple receives SSI based on the $1,103 FBR or is ineligible for SSI solely due to excess income and lives alone. |
● | Couple receives SSI based on the $1,103 FBR or is ineligible for SSI solely due to excess income, lives with others, and one or both is eligible for MA Waivers, a GRH plan, or a shelter special need. |
● | Couple at the SSI $1,103 FBR due to presidential disaster declaration and/or being homeless. |
APPLY THE $799.34 (OR $1,062.34 PRE-1994) STANDARD FOR A MARRIED COUPLE LIVING WITH OTHERS WHEN: |
● | Couple receives SSI benefits based on the $735.34 FBR. |
● | Couple NOT receiving SSI solely due to excess income. |
MSA FACILITIES STANDARD:
The assistance standard for people either at the SSI $30 FBR (federal living arrangement “D”), see 0029.06.03 (Supplemental Security Income Program) and living in facilities where personal needs are not otherwise provided or some blind children is the personal needs allowance - $97. See 0020.24 (Personal Needs Allowance) for the eligibility requirements.
A person hospitalized for illness may continue to receive their community standard established before being hospitalized if it is more than the personal needs allowance and if the person meets the conditions of temporary absence in 0014.09 (Assistance Units - Temporary Absence).
MSA clients who are residents of a licensed residential facility are NOT eligible for any special needs allowances EXCEPT for representative payee services. See 0023.21 (Representative Payee Services).
NOTE: Clients living in a Minnesota Consolidated Chemical Dependency Treatment Fund (CCDTF) facility are NOT eligible for an MSA standard of need.
PREVIOUS REVISIONS
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 09/2016 | updates the name of Community Alternatives for Disabled Individuals to Community Access for Disability Inclusion and updates the name and link of the Minnesota Health Care Programs Eligibility Policy Manual. No policy was changed. |
| 01/2015 | in MSA adds living alone assistance standard information throughout. It also updates the MSA Assistance Standards to correspond with COLA changes effective 01/01/15 |
| 12/2014 | Removed WB. This program was suspended 12/1/14. |
| 01/2014 | in MSA updates the MSA Assistance Standards to correspond with COLA changes effective 01/01/14. |
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