1411.2 Application Date

The date of receipt by the agency of a validly signed application is considered the application date for establishing initial eligibility and for processing purposes. While the applicant is directed to both sign and date the application, the date provided by the applicant (or authorized representative) on the application does not determine the application date (see also 1411.5 ).

Paper Applications – The date a paper application is received by the agency shall be considered the application date. All signed paper applications shall be date-stamped the date physically received at the KanCare Clearinghouse, an Outstation Worker site, or other location designated by the agency. A paper application that is received through the mail or physically delivered to agency personnel on agency premises shall be considered received that date. An application that is received through a drop box, mail slot, or other such manner at the opening of the business day shall be considered that day, even if the application was deposited prior to that date. An application received by the agency via email or fax is deemed an original application and is considered received on the date on the time stamp if received by 5:00pm on a business day. If the application is received after 5:00pm on a business day or on the weekend or a holiday, the application is the next following business day. When an applicant files an application form that is not intended for the medical coverage requested, additional information may be requested, but the application date is the date the application is received by the agency. Completion of the appropriate form is not required to establish the application date for the coverage requested. NOTE : Date-stamping of a paper application by someone other than agency of agency contracted personnel does not constitute a date of receipt for application purposes.

Online Applications – The date an electronically signed online application is received by the agency shall be considered the application date if received by 5:00pm on a business day. If the application is received after 5:00pm on a business day or on the weekend or holiday, the application date is the next following business day.

Other Electronic applications - The application date for other electronic applications received by the agency is described below. MIPPA and FFM applications both have two (2) applications dates – one for processing purposes, and one for eligibility purposes. MIPPA applications – The date the electronic data file is received by the agency from Social Security is the application date for processing purposes and establishes the 45-day processing timeline. The date the original Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) application was filed with Social Security (SSA App Date) is considered the date of request for MSP and therefore is the start date for eligibility purposes. Note: In situations where the SSA App Date is more than three (3) months prior to the Application Date shown on the e-Application, then the LIS/MIPPA application is registered using the SSA App Date as the date of application with KDHE. This is done to ensure the consumer receives coverage beginning with the month of request with the Social Security Administration. FFM Applications – The date the electronic data file is received by the agency from the federally facilitated health insurance marketplace exchange is the application date for processing purposes and establishes the 45-day processing timeline. The date the original health insurance exchange subsidy application was filed with the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) is considered the date of request for medical assistance and therefore is the start date for eligibility purposes.

Telephonic applications – The application date for a telephonic application is the date the applicant answers all the questions and telephonically signs the application by certifying, under penalty of perjury, that they understand the questions and statements read to them and his/her answers are correct and complete to the best of their knowledge.

Unsigned applications – An unsigned application received by the agency is not considered an application for processing purposes. All unsigned applications shall be promptly returned to the applicant for signature. The entire application shall be returned to allow the applicant to review his/her answers prior to certifying under penalty of perjury that all answers are correct and complete to the best of their knowledge. A cover letter must be attached to the returned application explaining the need to sign the application and return to the agency for processing. If the originally unsigned application is returned with a valid signature, the application date for processing purposes is the date the returned application is received by the agency if received on a business day. If the application is received on the weekend or a holiday, the application date is the next following business day. NOTE: Neither an online nor telephonic application may be submitted without a signature. Therefore, there should never be an online or telephonic application received without a signature. The signature may be invalid (see subsection (6) below), but there should always be a signature.

Invalid Signature - An application received by the agency with an invalid signature is considered an application for processing purposes. An invalid signature is one in which the person who signed the application has no authority to act on behalf of the applicant (see 2110 and subsections). This includes verifiably forged signatures where the person signing the application is attempting to portray themselves as some else. When an application with an invalid signature has been received by the agency, the application (or a copy of the application for online applications) shall be returned to the applicant with instructions to either verify the authority of the person who signed the application or to sign the application in their own name (if legally competent to do so). If verification of authority to sign the application or if the application with the applicant’s own signature is timely received by the agency per 1321 (3) , the application date for this application is determined by the following: This provision also applies where someone other than the applicant, who is verified to act on behalf of the applicant according to 2111 (2)(a) , signs and timely returns the application to the agency. If verification is provided documenting that the person who signed the application was authorized to apply on behalf of the applicant at the time the application was received by the agency, the application date is the date the application was originally received by the agency. NOTE: If the application indicates that the person signing the application has authority to apply on behalf of the applicant (such as a person holding a Durable Power of Attorney or is a guardian or conservator of the applicant), but no verification has been provided at the time of application, the process described in this section does not apply. In that instance, the signature is initially considered valid, and the agency shall send a request for information to provide verification of the authority. If the applicant responds by formally designating the person who signed the application as his/her medical representative according to 2111 (2)(b) , the application date is the date documentation of the medical representative authorization is received by the agency if received on a business day. If the medical representative authorization is received on the weekend or a holiday, the application date is the next following business day. If the application is returned with the applicant’s own signature, and the applicant is legally competent to apply on their own behalf, the application date is the date the returned application with the valid signature is received by the agency if received on a business day. If the returned application is received on the weekend or a holiday, the application date is the next following business day. This provision also applies where someone other than the applicant, who is verified to act on behalf of the applicant according to 2111 (2)(a) , signs and timely returns the application to the agency. If verification of authority to sign the application or if the application with the applicant’s own signature (or of someone who can act on behalf of the applicant) is not timely received, the application shall be denied due to an invalid signature based on the date the application was originally received.

No program request – The application date for an application received with no program request is the date the application is physically received at the KanCare Clearinghouse, an Outstation Worker site, or other location designated by the agency. Immediate contact with the applicant shall be made to determine which programs are being requested. The program(s) requested shall be registered using the date of receipt of the application as the application date for those programs only. Any subsequent request for other programs by the applicant shall be registered with an application date based on the date of request for the additional program(s). NOTE: An online application may not be submitted without a program request. Therefore, there should never be an online application received without a program request.