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Title 8: Medicaid Page 24 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter B: Application Processing Effective Date of Eligibility Revised October 17, 2025 Effective Date for SSI Recipients

2. Mr. B files for SSI on January 15. SSI cash payments are approved effective March 1. In order for SSI payments to begin effective March 1, the Social Security Administration must have determined that Mr. B met all SSI eligibility criteria for the month of February. Mr. B did not meet all eligibility criteria for the month of January (or SSI would have begun February 1). It is not necessary to verify information independently for the month of February. It is necessary to verify information and determine the reason that Mr. B was ineligible for January. Use the SSI application date as the Medicaid application date. The effective date of eligibility can be no earlier than three months before the date of application for SSI if the individual meets a category of eligibility for the retroactive period as defined in 8-A, Definitions. This date is on the SDX. When the date of the SSI application is in a different month from the month that SSI eligibility begins, determine if there is Medicaid eligibility for:  The month of SSI application.  All months between the date of application and the month of eligibility for SSI.  The retroactive period. Establishing Beginning Months of Eligibility for MEPD Legal reference: 441 IAC 75.6(6)”b””4”and “6” Policy: Medicaid for Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD) applicants may choose to have either MEPD or Medically Needy coverage for months between the date of application and the date that the case is approved on the ELIAS system. Comment: Application processing may be delayed due to waiting for a disability determination decision. This may result in a delay of several months between the date of application and the date of approval. “Back months” are the months between the date of application and the month when the case is actually approved. “Conditional eligibility” for MEPD means the member must pay a premium before getting Medicaid eligibility for a month. If the member wants to have Medically Needy for some back months, see the procedures in 8-F, Relationship to Medically Needy.