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Chapter: 1800 Income Program: MSSI, SFP 24 Exception: If the individual is admitted to a nursing facility and is applying for institutional care services, do not consider SSI payments as income to the individual the month after admission to the facility. The SSI benefits may also be excluded the month of admission if protection of income policies applies (Chapter 2600) or the stay is expected to be temporary (Chapter 1400 and Chapter 2600). Refer to Chapter 1400 for additional information regarding SSI recipients in nursing facilities. 1840.0824 Assistance Payments Based on Need (MSSI, SFP) Passage 1840.0828 discusses policy on treatment of assistance payments. Income based on need, such as Temporary Cash Assistance, Refugee Assistance Program or Refugee Resettlement Match Grant payments, are included as unearned income unless specifically excluded.

In order to be excluded, assistance based on need must be:

1. provided by a public program that uses income or assets as criteria to determine assistance eligibility and amount; and 2. wholly funded by a state or political subdivision of a state, including an Indian tribe.

Assistance based on need is not deemed from an ineligible spouse to an eligible spouse for SSI cash assistance or Medicaid eligibility determination. However, if one member of the couple is Medicaid eligible (from any source) or enrolled in Medically Needy, the assistance based on need income (and any income used in that determination) is counted to the other member of the couple when determining that person's eligibility for Medicaid. 1840.0828 Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (MSSI, SFP) A provision of the Department of Defense Act for Fiscal year 2001 requires DOD to pay certain military members and their families a Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) of up to $500 per month. The FSSA is available to military members who have completed basic training and whose gross household income is within the food stamp gross income limit for the household size. The food stamp definition of a household is also used when the FSSA is calculated. The FSSA will be counted as unearned income in the TCA, Food Stamp and Medicaid Programs. 1840.0900 BENEFITS (MSSI, SFP) Section 1840.0900 (inclusive) discusses types of benefits payable to individuals and their treatment as unearned income, including benefits such as:

1. Social Security payments; 2. private benefit income such as annuities, pensions, retirement, or disability (other than SSA); 3. veterans payments; 4. Agent Orange benefits; 5. workers' compensation; 6. railroad retirement; 7. unemployment benefits; 8. striker support; 9. severance pay; or 10. death benefits.