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SNAPCERTIFICATION MANUAL –SECTION 6000 6500 Medical Deduction 6524 Anticipating Monthly Prescription Drug Costs

6523 Factor Three: Is the Medical Expense Past Due? SNAP Manual 01/01/21 Payments on past due medical expenses are not an allowable medical expense. Bills for medical expenses are considered past due for SNAP purposes when the provider indicates the bill is past due. When a household reports that a member has begun payment on a bill, the certified eligibility worker will contact the provider to determine the status of the bill, unless the status can be determined from viewing the bill.

6524AnticipatingMonthly Prescription Drug Cost SNAP Manual 01/01/2021 Part of determining the total medical deduction is anticipating the household’s monthly prescription drug cost. To complete this task successfully, the certified eligibility worker must work with the household. Verification of the prescription medications taken by a person aged sixty (60) or older or individuals living with a disability is required. Acceptable verification of prescription medications includes receipts or bills from the pharmacist. Statements or computer printouts from the pharmacy are also acceptable. If the pharmacist provides a computer printout or statement, the worker will contact the pharmacist for clarification of the contents, if necessary. If the household claims that a member is taking over-the-counter medication recommended or approved by a licensed health practitioner, the practitioner must verify he or she has recommended or approved the medication. See SNAP 6524.1

The worker will review the verification to determine the frequency of purchase. If the household states the member continues to take these medications, the worker will anticipate the current cost of each prescription as a monthly expense. Prescriptions purchased at least once per month will be shown as a monthly cost. If a prescription is purchased more than once per month, the total cost will be shown as a monthly cost. For example, a drug is purchased two (2) times each month at a cost of ten dollars ($10.00). The anticipated monthly cost will be twenty dollars ($20.00). Prescriptions purchased several times per year on a recurring basis will be anticipated as a periodic expense. See SNAP 6521.2.