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Chapter: 2000 Coverage Groups Program: MSSI, SFP 15 receiving SSA as an aged individual. Refer to Chapter 1400 for additional information concerning other types of evidence that can be used to establish eligibility on this factor. 2040.0802.03 Disability/Blindness Requirement for Protected MA (MSSI) Eligibility due to disability or blindness must be verified. The individual must be disabled or blind in accordance with the SSI disability or blindness criteria. If the individual is receiving SSA disability benefits, verification that the individual's disability has been established as a condition for continued receipt of SSA benefits is sufficient to establish eligibility on the factor of disability/blindness.

If the individual's receipt of SSA benefits is not based on disability, a disability or blindness determination must be obtained from the Division of Disability Determinations at the time of application. 2040.0802.04 Citizenship Requirement for Protected Medicaid (MSSI) Eligibility on this factor is established by previous receipt of SSI, unless there is reason to question the individual's current status. 2040.0802.05 Residence (MSSI) The individual must meet the U.S. and Florida residence criteria. 2040.0802.06 Assets (MSSI) The individual must not have countable assets that exceed the currently prescribed maximum assets limit for SSI. The policy in Chapter 1600 of this manual is to be used in determining eligibility on this factor. 2040.0802.07 Income (MSSI) The individual's countable income, after disregard of SSA cost of living adjustments received since the individual was last eligible for (and received concurrently) SSA and SSI benefits, must not exceed the current SSI FBR. The policy in Chapters 1800 and 2400 is to be used in determining what income is and how it is counted. 2040.0802.08 Disregard of COLAs (MSSI) The COLAs of the individual, the financially responsible family members (spouse or parent), and any other family member whose income is used in determining the individual's eligibility must be disregarded. 2040.0802.09 Disregard of the Title II COLAs (MSSI) The following applies to the disregard of COLAs:

Step 1 - The eligibility specialist must establish the last date (month and year) in which the individual received and was eligible for both SSA and SSI benefits.

Step 2 - Using the table in Appendix A-11, the eligibility specialist must determine the date of the first COLA received following the date established in step 1.

Step 3 - The eligibility specialist must multiply the current SSA amount for the individual and appropriate family members by the conversion factor associated with the date obtained in step 2. This computation will determine the SSA benefit amount without the COLAs, that is, the SSA benefit amount to be used in the budget.